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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark one)

For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013

For the transition period from         to      

Commission File No: 0-11740

MESA LABORATORIES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (303) 987-8000

Securities registered under Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered under 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 o  NO x

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 o  NO x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports to be filed by Section13 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 x  NO o

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 (Section 232.405 of the chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  YES x  NO o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of the Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, 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).  YES o  NO x

The aggregate market value as of September 28, 2012 (the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter), of the voting and non-voting common equity of Mesa Laboratories Inc. held by non-affiliates (assuming, for this purpose, that all directors, officers and owners of 5% or more of the registrant’s common stock are deemed affiliates) computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold ($48.38 per share) was $108,981,000.

The number of outstanding shares of the common stock as of May 31, 2013 was 3,395,847.

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Forward Looking Statements

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report contains information that may constitute “forward-looking statements.”  Generally, the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “project,” “will” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature.  However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.  All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to revenue growth and statements expressing general views about future operating results — are forward-looking statements.  Management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made.  However, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because such statements speak only as of the date when made.  We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.  In addition, forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections.  These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Part I, “Item 1A.  Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this report and those described from time to time in our future reports to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

PART I

ITEM 1.  BUSINESS

Introduction

Mesa Laboratories, Inc. (we, us, our, the “Company” or “Mesa”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Colorado on March 26, 1982.  We pursue a strategy of focusing primarily on quality control products, which are sold into niche markets that are driven by regulatory requirements.  We prefer markets that have limited competition where we can establish a commanding presence and achieve high gross margins.  We are organized into two divisions across four physical locations.  Our Instruments Division designs, manufactures and markets quality control instruments and disposable products utilized in connection with the healthcare, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, medical device, industrial hygiene, semiconductor and petrochemical industries. Our Biological Indicators Division manufactures and markets biological indicators and distributes chemical indicators used to assess the effectiveness of sterilization processes, including steam, gas, hydrogen peroxide and radiation, in the hospital, dental, medical device and pharmaceutical industries.

Our Lakewood, Colorado and Butler, New Jersey facilities manufacture our Instruments Division products, which include the DataTrace®, Medical, Bios, Torqo®, and Nusonics® brands.  Our Omaha, Nebraska and Bozeman, Montana locations manufacture our Biological Indicators Division products — the Mesa and Apex™ brands.

Our philosophy is to manufacture a quality product and provide a high level of on-going service for those products.  Our revenues come from two main sources — product sales, and parts and services.  Our strategic goals involve continuing to grow revenues and profits through three key strategies — a) improving our distribution channels, b) introducing new products to the market, and c) seeking out companies or product lines to acquire.

In May 2012, we completed a business combination (the “Bios Acquisition”) by acquiring specific assets and assuming certain liabilities of Bios International Corporation (“Bios”), a New Jersey corporation.

In April 2010, we acquired SGM Biotech, Inc. and the facility that houses the operations, located in Bozeman, Montana.  In December 2010, we acquired the biological indicator business of Apex Laboratories, Inc.

Our principal executive offices and corporate headquarters are located at 12100 West Sixth Ave., Lakewood, Colorado 80228, and our telephone number is 303-987-8000.  Our website is www.mesalabs.com.  The information contained or connected to our website is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K and should not be considered part of this report.

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Instruments Division

Our Instruments Division designs, manufactures and markets quality control instruments and disposable products utilized in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, medical device, industrial hygiene, semiconductor and petrochemical industries.  Generally, our instrument products are used for testing, quality control, safety validation and regulatory compliance.  Our Instruments Division products include:  1) DataTrace data loggers, which are used in critical manufacturing and quality control processes in the food, pharmaceutical and medical device industries; 2) Medical meters and calibration solutions, which are used for quality control in dialysis clinics and dialysis machine manufacturing operations; 3) Gas flow calibration equipment, which is used for quality control, occupational health and safety, and environmental air monitoring in metrology labs, industrial hygiene and environmental air sampling; 4) Torqo torque testing systems, which are used to measure bottle cap tightness in the beverage and pharmaceutical industries; and 5) Nusonics concentration analyzers, pipeline interface detectors and flow meter products used in the chemical, food, pharmaceutical and plastics industries.

Data Loggers

Our data logger products are self-contained, wireless, high precision instruments that are used in critical manufacturing, quality control and validation applications.  They are used to measure temperature, humidity and pressure inside a process or a product during manufacturing.  In addition, data loggers can be used to validate the proper operation of laboratory or manufacturing equipment, either during its installation or for annual re-certifications.  The products consist of individual data loggers, a personal computer (“PC”) interface, software and various accessories.  A customer typically purchases a large number of data loggers along with a single PC interface and the software package.  In practice, using the PC interface, the user programs the loggers to collect environmental data at a pre-determined interval, places the data loggers in the product or process, and then collects stored process data from the data logger either through the PC interface or wirelessly via a radio link.  The user can then prepare tabular and graphical reports using the software.  Unique aspects of our data loggers are their ability to operate at elevated temperatures and in explosive environments — important differentiating factors in the marketplace and, consequently, they are used by companies to control their most critical processes, such as sterilization.  Industries utilizing the data loggers include food processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical device companies, and contract sterilizers.

Medical Meters and Calibration Solutions

Our medical meters are used to test various parameters of the dialysis fluid (dialysate), and the proper calibration and operation of the dialysis machine.  Each measures some combination of temperature, pressure, pH and conductivity to ensure that the dialysate has the proper composition to promote the transfer of waste products from the blood to the dialysate.  The meters provide a digital readout that the patient, physician or technician uses to verify that the dialysis machine is working within prescribed limits and delivering properly prepared dialysate.  We manufacture two styles of medical meters; those designed for use by dialysis machine manufacturers and biomedical technicians, and those used primarily by dialysis nurses.  The meters for technicians are characterized by exceptional accuracy, stability and flexibility, and are used by the industry as the primary standard for the calibration of dialysis machines.  The meters designed for use by dialysis nurses are known primarily for their ease of use and incorporate a patented, built-in syringe sampling system.  These meters are used as the final quality control check on the dialysate just prior to starting a treatment.  In addition to the dialysate meters, we market a line of standard solutions for use in dialysis clinics for calibration and testing.  These standard solutions are regularly consumed by the dialysis clinics thus, along with calibration services, are less impacted by general economic conditions than instrument sales.  Customers that utilize these products include dialysis facilities, medical device manufacturers and biomedical service companies.

Gas Flow Calibration Equipment

Gas flow is defined as the volume of gas per unit of time through a system.  Our DryCal® technology, which measures gas, is considered to be a “primary standard” of gas flow, as it involves a direct measurement of volume and time.  Many other gas flow meters measure flow via indirect means of either a pressure drop across a flow restriction or through the transfer of heat from the gas flow.  Some of our devices may also incorporate measurement of pressure and temperature, which allows them to convert volumetric flow to mass flow.  Our gas flow calibration equipment provides the precise standards required by laboratories and industry in the design, development, manufacture, installation and calibration of various gas and mass flow meters, and air sampling devices.  Our flow meters are used in many industries where professionals require the superior accuracy, reliability and ease of operation that our flow meters provide, including 1) industrial hygienists, 2) calibration and

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research laboratories, 3) manufacturers who design, develop and manufacture gas and mass flow meters, and 4) industry engineering and manufacturing companies that utilize gas and mass flow meters.

Torque Testing Systems

Our automated torque testing system is a durable and reliable motorized cap torque analyzer used throughout the packaging industry.  With its on-board microprocessor, the torque system is easy to use, easy to set up and mostly maintenance free.  The primary advantages of our torque instruments are their high accuracy and long term consistency of measurement.  Unlike manual torque testing instruments, our motorized torque system eliminates the effects on the measurement results of different operators and different cap removal speeds.  With a motorized torque testing system, the force applied to a cap is precisely the same in each testing cycle, regardless of who may be operating the machine, or how strong they may be.  Our torque system provides the information that helps the packaging operation track events, and potential problems, during the manufacturing process so that corrections can be performed in a timely fashion.  Industries utilizing these instruments include food processors, beverage companies, pharmaceutical, and consumer product manufacturers.

Concentration Analyzers and Flow Meters

Our primary Nusonics brand ultrasonic fluid measurement products include flow meters and concentration monitors.  While the total market for flow meters is very large, our flow meters best serve applications where cleanliness and resistance to corrosives are required, such as water treatment, chemical processing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (“HVAC”) applications.  The concentration monitor component of the product line consists of pipeline interface detectors for petrochemical applications and concentration analyzers for a wider variety of industry application, such as chemical, food, pharmaceutical and plastics processes.  The ultrasonic products have been subject to strong competition in the marketplace in recent years, primarily from larger, well established process control companies.  Consequently, sales of these products have decreased and currently represent a minor portion of our total revenue.  Today, most sales are made to existing customers who are replacing or adding to their current infrastructure, and it is not expected that we will make significant investments in these products in the future.

Biological Indicators Division

Our Biological Indicators Division manufactures and markets biological indicators and distributes chemical indicators used to assess the effectiveness of sterilization processes, including steam, gas (such as Ethylene Oxide or Chlorine Dioxide), hydrogen peroxide and radiation, in the hospital, dental, medical device and pharmaceutical industries.  Our biological indicators are registered medical devices manufactured under International Standards Organization (“ISO”) 13485 controlled processes.  They are developed and used according to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (“AAMI”) guidelines, which are adopted as the worldwide standard under ISO.

Biological indicators consist of resistant spores of certain microorganisms that are applied on a convenient substrate, such as a small piece of filter paper.  The spores are well characterized in terms of numbers and resistance to sterilization.  In use, the biological indicator is exposed to a sterilization process and then tested to determine the presence of surviving organisms.  Our biological indicators include a) spore strips, which require post-processing transfer to a growth media, b) self-contained products, which have the growth media already pre-packaged in crushable ampoules, and c) culture media.  Chemical indicators are similar to biological indicators, except that a chemical change (generally determined by color) is used to assess the exposure to sterilization conditions.  Biological indicators and chemical indicators are often used together to monitor processes.  Biological indicators are used to validate equipment and monitor the effectiveness of a process in any industrial or healthcare setting which uses sterilization. Key markets include healthcare, such as dental offices and hospitals, and industrial, such as medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Our biological indicators are distinguished in the marketplace by their high level of quality, consistency and flexibility.  A variety of different formats allows the biological indicators to be used in many different types of processes and products.  For example, the simple spore strips are used most often in the small table-top steam sterilizers in dental offices, while a more complex self-contained biological indicator may be used by a medical device manufacturer to assure the sterility in a complex ethylene oxide sterilization process.  In either case, the number of spores contained on the carrier and the resistance of the spores to the sterilization process must be well characterized in order to accurately assess the effectiveness of sterilization.  During manufacturing, extensive quality control steps are used to insure that the microorganism spores are well characterized and their resistance is known following placement on the target carrier.

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Market Factors

Product sales are dependent on several factors, including general economic conditions, both domestic and international, customer capital spending trends, competition, introduction of new products and acquisitions.  Biological indicator products are disposable and are used on a routine basis for quality control, thus product sales are less sensitive to general economic conditions.  Instrument products have a longer life, and their purchase by our customers is somewhat discretionary, so sales are more sensitive to general economic conditions.  Parts and service demand is driven by our customers’ quality control and regulatory environments, which require periodic repair and recalibration or certification of our instrument products.  We typically evaluate costs and pricing annually.  Our policy is to price our products competitively and, where possible, we try to pass along cost increases in order to maintain our margins.  As part of the integration of our previous biological indicator acquisitions we have adjusted prices to achieve price parity for similar products.

Manufacturing

We conduct research, manufacturing, and support of our Instruments Division products from our facilities in Lakewood, Colorado and Butler, New Jersey.  Our instrument products are manufactured primarily by assembling the products from purchased components and calibrating the final products prior to release.  Our torque testing products previously were manufactured in Amherst, New Hampshire until December 2010, when they were permanently moved to the Lakewood facility.  Facilities in Bozeman, Montana and Omaha, Nebraska are used for the Biological Indicators Division.  Our biological indicator products are manufactured by growing microbiological spores from raw materials, forming the finished products and testing the finished biological indicators using established quality control tests.  The Apex brand biological indicator products were manufactured at the Apex Laboratories facility in Sanford, North Carolina until April 2011, when manufacturing commenced at our Bozeman, Montana operations.

Most of the materials and components used in our product lines are available from a number of different suppliers.  We generally maintain multiple sources of supply, but are dependent on a single source for certain items.  We believe that alternative sources could be developed, if required, for present single supply sources.  Although our dependence on these single supply sources may involve a degree of risk, to date we have been able to acquire sufficient stock to meet our production requirements.

Marketing and Distribution

Domestically, we generate sales to end users through our sales and marketing staff and distributors.  We use approximately 275 distributors throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, Australia, Canada and Central America for international sales and distribution.  Sales promotions include trade shows, direct mail campaigns, internet and other digital forms of advertising.

Our Instruments Division marketing effort is focused on offering quality products to our customers that will aid them in containing cost, improving the quality of their products and services, and helping them meet their regulatory requirements.  Customers primarily include manufacturers of foods, beverages, pharmaceutical products, medical devices, contract sterilizing services and dialysis clinics.

Our Biological Indicators Division marketing focuses on providing quality test products in a variety of different formats, which minimize incubation and test result time.  Customers include companies providing sterility assurance testing to the dental office market, hospitals, contract sterilizing services and various industrial users involved in pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing.

As of and for the years ended March 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, no individual customer represented more than 10% of our accounts receivable or revenues.

Competition

Our products compete across several industries with a variety of companies, many of which are well established, with substantially greater capital resources and larger research and development capabilities.  Furthermore, many of these companies have established product lines and a significant operating history.  Accordingly, we may be at a competitive disadvantage with some competitors due to their respective size and market presence.

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Companies with which our Instruments Division products compete include the Myron L Company, IBP Medical GmbH, GE Kaye, Ellab, TMI Orion, SureTorque, Mecmesin and Steinfurth.  Our Biological Indicators Division products compete with 3M, Terragene, NAMSA and Steris, among others.

Research and Development

We are committed to an active research and development program dedicated to innovating new products and improving the quality and performance of our existing products.  We spent $2,011,000, $1,534,000 and $1,441,000 for the years ended March 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, on research and development activities, including amounts capitalized as intangible assets.

Government Regulation

While our quality system and manufacturing processes are generally the same throughout the Instruments Division, specific products are compliant under ISO 13485, ISO 17025 and certain U.S. Federal regulations.  Compliance requires us to obtain third party certification for these products.

Several products in both the Instruments and Biological Indicators Divisions are medical devices subject to the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended by the Medical Device Amendments of 1976 (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”).  The Act requires any company proposing to market a medical device to notify the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) of its intention at least ninety days before doing so and in such notification must advise the FDA as to whether the device is substantially equivalent to a device marketed prior to May 28, 1976.  We have received permission from the FDA to market all of the products requiring such permission.

Some of our facilities are subject to FDA regulations and inspections, which may be time-consuming and costly.  This includes on-going compliance with the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practices regulations that require, among other things, the systematic control of manufacture, packaging and storage of products intended for human use.  Failure to comply with these practices renders the product adulterated and could subject us to an interruption of manufacturing and selling these products, and possible regulatory action by the FDA.

The manufacture and sale of medical devices is also regulated by some states.  Although there is substantial overlap between state regulations and the regulations of the FDA, some state laws may apply.  We do not anticipate that complying with state regulations, however, will create any significant problems.  Foreign countries also have laws regulating medical devices sold in those countries, which may cause us to expend additional resources on compliance.

Employees

On March 31, 2013, we had 215 employees, of which 139 are employed for manufacturing and quality assurance, 15 for research and development, 38 for sales and marketing, and 23 for administration.

ITEM 1A.  RISK FACTORS

In addition to the other information set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents we filed with the SEC, you should carefully consider the following factors, which could materially affect our business, financial condition or results of operations in future periods.  The risks and uncertainties described below are those that we have identified as material, but are not the only risks and uncertainties facing us.  Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial also may impair our business, including our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition.

Conditions in the global economy, the markets we serve and the financial markets may adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our business is sensitive to general economic conditions, both inside and outside the United States.  Slower global economic growth, credit market crisis, high levels of unemployment, reduced levels of capital expenditures, government deficit reduction, sequestration and other austerity measures and other challenges affecting the global economy could affect us and our distributors, customers and suppliers, including having the effect of:

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·                  reducing demand for our products and services, limiting financing available to our customers, increasing order cancellations and resulting in longer sales cycles;

·                  increasing the difficulty in collecting accounts receivable and the risk of excess and obsolete inventories; and

·                  increasing the risk that counterparties to our contractual arrangements will become insolvent or otherwise unable to fulfill their contractual obligations, which could increase the risks identified above.

If slower growth in the global economy or in any of the markets we serve continues for a significant period, if there is a significant deterioration in the global economy or such markets, or if improvements in the global economy do not benefit the markets we serve, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We face competition and if we are unable to compete effectively, we may experience decreased demand and decreased market share.

The markets for some of our current and potential products are competitive.  Because of the range of products we sell and the variety of markets we serve, we encounter a wide variety of competitors, including several that possess both larger sales forces and more capital resources.  In order to compete effectively, we must retain longstanding relationships with major customers, continue to grow our business by establishing relationships with new customers, continually develop new products and services to maintain and expand our brand recognition and leadership position in various product and service categories, and penetrate new markets, including in developing countries.  Our failure to compete effectively and/or pricing pressures resulting from competition may adversely impact our results of operations.

Changing industry trends may affect our results of operations.

Various changes within the industries we serve may limit future demand for our products and may include the following:

·                  changes in dialysis reimbursements;

·                  mergers within the dialysis provider industry, concentrating our medical meter and solutions sales with a few, large customers;

·                  mergers within other industries we serve, making us more dependent upon fewer, larger customers for our sales;

·                  decreased product demand, driven by changes in our customer’s regulatory environments or standard industry practices; and

·                  price competition for key products.

Our growth depends in part on the timely development and commercialization, and customer acceptance, of new products and the efforts of third party distributors.

Our growth depends on the acceptance of our products in the marketplace, the penetration achieved by the companies which we sell to, and rely on, to distribute and represent our products, and our ability to introduce new and innovative products that meet the needs of the various markets we serve.  We can offer no assurance that we will be able to continue to introduce new and innovative products, that the products we introduce, or have introduced, will be widely accepted by the marketplace, or that the companies that we contract with to distribute and represent our products will continue to successfully penetrate our various markets.  Our failure to continue to introduce new products or gain widespread acceptance of our products could adversely affect our results of operations.  In order to successfully commercialize our products in new markets, we will need to enter into distribution arrangements with companies that can successfully distribute and represent our products into various markets.

Any inability to consummate acquisitions at our historical rate and at appropriate prices could negatively impact our growth rate and stock price.

We may not be able to consummate acquisitions at rates similar to the past, which could adversely impact our growth rate and our stock price.  Promising acquisitions are difficult to identify and complete for a number of reasons, including high

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valuations, the availability of affordable funding in the capital markets and the need to satisfy applicable closing conditions.  In addition, competition for acquisitions in our current and anticipated business areas is significant and may result in higher purchase prices.  Changes in accounting or regulatory requirements, or instability in the credit markets could also adversely impact our ability to consummate acquisitions.  Our ability to grow revenues, earnings and cash flow at or above our historic rates depends in part upon our ability to identify and successfully acquire and integrate businesses at appropriate prices and realize anticipated synergies.

Our acquisition of businesses could negatively impact our results of operations.

As an important part of our business strategy, we acquire businesses, some of which may be material.  Please see “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for additional details.  Our acquisitions involve a number of financial, accounting, managerial, operational, legal and other risks and challenges, including the following, any of which could adversely affect our results of operations:

·                  any acquired business, technology, service or product could under-perform relative to our expectations and the price that we paid for it, or not perform in accordance with our anticipated timetable;

·                  we may incur or assume significant debt in connection with our acquisitions;

·                  acquisitions could cause our results of operations to differ from our own or the investment community’s expectations in any given period, or over the long-term;

·                  pre-closing and post-closing acquisition-related earnings charges could adversely impact our results of operations in any given period, and the impact may be substantially different from period to period;

·                  acquisitions could create demands on our management, operational resources and financial and internal control systems that we are unable to effectively address, or for which we may incur additional costs;

·                  we could experience difficulty in integrating personnel, operations, financial and other systems, and in retaining key employees and customers;

·                  we may be unable to achieve cost savings or other synergies anticipated in connection with an acquisition;

·                  we may assume by acquisition unknown liabilities, known contingent liabilities that become realized, known liabilities that prove greater than anticipated, internal control deficiencies, or exposure to regulatory sanctions resulting from the acquired company’s activities.  The realization of any of these liabilities or deficiencies may increase our expenses, adversely affect our financial position or cause us to fail to meet our public financial reporting obligations;

·                  in connection with acquisitions, we often enter into post-closing financial arrangements such as purchase price adjustments, earn-out obligations and indemnification obligations, which may have unpredictable financial results; and

·                  as a result of our acquisitions, we have recorded significant goodwill and other intangible assets on our balance sheet.  If we are not able to realize the value of these assets, we may be required to incur charges relating to the impairment of these assets, which could materially impact our results of operations.

The contingent consideration from the Bios Acquisition may negatively impact our available cash and results from operations.

As part of the Bios Acquisition, we are required to make a contingent consideration payment based on revenue growth related to the acquired assets over a three year earn-out period.  The ultimate amount we pay may differ significantly from the liability we recorded at the time of the acquisition.  If we are required to pay more than the amount initially recorded, the difference will be recorded as expense in our statement of income, which could materially impact our results of operations.

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If we do not or cannot adequately protect our intellectual property, or if third parties infringe our intellectual property rights, we may suffer competitive injury or expend significant resources enforcing our rights.

We own numerous patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property and licenses to intellectual property owned by others, which in aggregate are important to our business.  The intellectual property rights that we obtain, however, may not be sufficiently broad or otherwise may not provide us a significant competitive advantage, and patents may not be issued for pending or future patent applications owned by or licensed to us.  In addition, the steps that we and our licensors have taken to maintain and protect our intellectual property may not prevent it from being challenged, invalidated, circumvented or designed-around, particularly in countries where intellectual property rights are not highly developed or protected.  In some circumstances, enforcement may not be available to us because an infringer has a dominant intellectual property position or for other business reasons, or countries may require compulsory licensing of our intellectual property.  Our failure to obtain or maintain intellectual property rights that convey competitive advantage, adequately protect our intellectual property, detect or prevent circumvention or unauthorized use of such property, and the cost of enforcing our intellectual property rights could adversely impact our competitive position and results of operations.

We also rely on nondisclosure and noncompetition agreements with employees, consultants and other parties to protect, in part, our trade secrets and other proprietary rights.  There can be no assurance that these agreements will adequately protect our trade secrets and other proprietary rights, will not be breached, that we will have adequate remedies for any breach, that others will not independently develop substantially equivalent proprietary information, or that third parties will not otherwise gain access to our trade secrets or other proprietary rights.

Several of our products are extensively regulated, which could delay product introduction or halt sales.

The process of obtaining and maintaining required regulatory approvals is lengthy, expensive and uncertain.  Although we have not experienced any substantial regulatory delays to date, we can offer no assurance that delays will not occur in the future, which could have a significant adverse effect on our ability to introduce new products on a timely basis.  Regulatory agencies periodically inspect our manufacturing facilities to ascertain compliance with “good manufacturing practices” and can subject approved products to additional testing and surveillance programs.  Failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can, among other things, result in fines, suspension of regulatory approvals, product recalls, operating restrictions and criminal penalties.  While we believe that we are currently in compliance, if we fail to comply with regulatory requirements it could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Product defects and unanticipated use or inadequate disclosure with respect to our products could adversely affect our business, reputation and our results of operations.

Manufacturing or design defects in, unanticipated use of, safety or quality issues with respect to, or inadequate disclosure of risks relating to the use of products that we make or sell (including in products or components that we source from third parties) can lead to personal injury or property damage.  These events could lead to recalls or safety alerts relating to our products, and result in product liability claims being brought against us.  Recalls and product liability claims can result in significant costs, as well as negative publicity and damage to our reputation that could reduce demand for our products and have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

We may be required to recognize impairment charges that could materially affect our results of operations.

We assess our goodwill and other intangible assets, and our other long-lived assets as and when required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) to determine whether they are impaired.  If they are impaired, we would record appropriate impairment charges.  It is possible that we may be required to record significant impairment charges in the future and, if we do so, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

Changes in accounting standards could affect our reported financial results.

New accounting standards or pronouncements that may become applicable to our Company from time to time, or changes in the interpretation of existing standards and pronouncements, could have a significant effect on our reported results of operations for the affected periods.

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Our business is subject to sales tax in numerous states

The application of indirect taxes, such as sales tax, is a complex and evolving issue.  A company must collect and remit state sales tax from its customers if the company has “nexus” in a particular state.  The determination of nexus varies by state and often requires knowledge of each state’s sales tax case law.  The application and implementation of existing, new or future laws could change the states in which we collect and remit sales taxes.  Historically, if we have not properly identified states in which we have nexus, we could be held responsible for payment of sales taxes for the years in which it is determined we had nexus.  We have determined that we have an obligation for sales taxes in numerous states.  The ultimate amount due will depend upon a number of factors, including the amount of sales that were made to customers who already paid the tax or who are exempt, the number of years of exposure, and any penalties and interest.  We continue to evaluate our exposure in additional states, but at this time the amount of the liability is not estimable.  The resolution of these sales tax obligations is likely to have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

We are utilizing variable rate financing.

In February 2012, we entered into a three year agreement (the “Credit Facility”) for a $20,000,000 revolving line of credit (“Line of Credit”) and up to $1,000,000 of letters of credit.  Under the Credit Facility, indebtedness bears interest at either: (1) LIBOR plus an applicable margin, ranging from 1.25% to 2.00%, or (2) the bank’s commercial bank floating rate (“CBFR”), which is the greater of the bank’s prime rate or one month LIBOR + 2.50%, adjusted down, from 1.25% to 0.50%.  A change in interest rate market conditions could increase our interest costs in the future and may have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

We may face continuing challenges in complying with certain sections of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Like many public companies, we face challenges in complying with the internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (Section 404).  Under current frameworks, compliance in areas such as separation of duties, information system controls, etc. may prove problematic for a smaller company with limited human resources.  We may also be forced to incur on-going expense in order to comply with the law under current control frameworks or if the framework changes.  These expenses may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

ITEM 1B.  UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None

ITEM 2.  PROPERTIES

Set forth below is a listing of our facilities.  All locations have manufacturing, research and development, marketing and administrative functions.

ITEM 3.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Not applicable.

ITEM 4.  MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

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PART II

ITEM 5.  MARKET FOR REGISTRANTS COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market (“NASDAQ”) under the symbol “MLAB.”

The following table sets forth the high and low market prices per share for our common stock, as reported by NASDAQ, and dividend per share information:

While we have paid dividends to holders of our common stock on a quarterly basis since 2003, the declaration and payment of future dividends will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to, our earnings, financial condition, business development needs and regulatory considerations, and is at the discretion of our Board of Directors.

The NASDAQ Global Market quotations set forth herein reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commission and may not represent actual transactions.

As of March 31, 2013, there were approximately 183 record holders of our common stock.  This amount does not include “street name” holders or beneficial holders of our common stock, whose holder of records are banks, brokers and other financial institutions.

During the year ended March 31, 2013, we did not sell any equity securities that were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

We made the following repurchases of our common stock, by month, within the fourth quarter of the year covered by this report:

On November 7, 2005, our Board of Directors adopted a share repurchase plan which allows for the repurchase of up to 300,000 of our common shares.  This plan will continue until the maximum is reached or the plan is terminated by further action of the Board of Directors.

We have certain equity compensation plans, all of which were approved by our stockholders.  As of March 31, 2013, 416,125 shares of common stock may be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, with a weighted-average exercise price of $29.87 and 310,820 shares are available for future issuance under the plans.  Please see notes contained in “Item 8.  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this report for additional details.

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Set forth below is a line graph comparing, for the period March 31, 2008 through March 31, 2013, the cumulative total stockholder return on our common stock against the cumulative total return of (a) the S&P Composite Stock Index and (b) a self-selected peer group, comprised of the following companies: Danaher Corp., ARCA Biopharma, Inc., Steris Corp., MOCON Inc., Utah Medical Products, Inc., Cantel Medical Corp., Rochester Medical Corporation, Merit Medical Systems, Inc., Transcat Inc., Electro-Sensors Inc., Rudolph Technologies Inc., and Measurement Specialties Inc.  The graph shows the value at March 31 of each year, assuming an original investment of $100 in each and reinvestment of cash dividends.

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ITEM 6.  SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The following selected financial data should be read in conjunction with “Item 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and financial statements and notes hereto contained in “Item 8.  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this report.

(1)                                 Average return on stockholder investment is calculated by dividing total net income by the average of end and beginning of year total stockholders’ equity.

(2)                                 Average return on invested capital (invested capital = total assets – current liabilities – cash and cash equivalents) is calculated  by dividing total net income by the average of end and beginning of year invested capital.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Measure

Earnings before amortization of intangible assets, net of tax, is used by management as a supplemental performance and liquidity measure, primarily to exclude the impact of acquisition-related intangible assets in order to compare current financial performance to historical performance, assess the ability of our assets to generate cash and the evaluation of potential acquisitions.

Earnings before amortization of intangible assets, net of tax, should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income, operating income, cash flow from operating activities or any other measure of financial performance presented in accordance with GAAP as measures of operating performance or liquidity.

The following table sets forth our reconciliation of earnings before amortization of intangible assets, net of tax, a non-GAAP measure:

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

Overview

We pursue a strategy of focusing primarily on quality control products, which are sold into niche markets that are driven by regulatory requirements.  We prefer markets that have limited competition where we can establish a commanding presence and achieve high gross margins.  We are organized into two divisions across four physical locations.  Our Instruments Division designs, manufactures and markets quality control instruments and disposable products utilized in connection with the healthcare, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, medical device, industrial hygiene, semiconductor and petrochemical industries.  Our Biological Indicators Division manufactures and markets biological indicators and distributes chemical indicators used to assess the effectiveness of sterilization processes, including steam, gas, hydrogen peroxide and radiation, in the hospital, dental, medical device and pharmaceutical industries.  We follow a philosophy of manufacturing a high quality product and providing a high level of on-going service for those products.

Our revenues come from two main sources – products sales, and parts and services.  Product sales are dependent on several factors, including general economic conditions, both domestic and international, customer capital spending trends, competition, introduction of new products and acquisitions.  Biological indicator products are disposable and are used on a routine basis for quality control, thus product sales are less sensitive to general economic conditions.  Instrument products have a longer life, and their purchase by our customers is somewhat discretionary, so sales are more sensitive to general economic conditions.  Parts and service demand is driven by our customers’ quality control and regulatory environments, which require periodic repair and recalibration or certification of our instrument products.  We typically evaluate costs and pricing annually.  Our policy is to price our products competitively and, where possible, we try to pass along cost increases in order to maintain our margins.  As part of the integration of our previous biological indicator acquisitions we have been adjusting prices to achieve price parity for similar products.

Gross profit is affected by our product mix, manufacturing efficiencies and price competition.  Historically, as we have integrated our acquisitions and taken advantage of manufacturing efficiencies, our gross margins for some of the products have improved.  There are, however, differences in gross margins between different product lines, and ultimately the mix of sales may continue to impact our overall gross margin.

Selling expense is driven primarily by labor costs, including salaries and commissions.  Accordingly, it may vary with sales levels.  Labor costs and amortization of intangible assets drive 70-80% of general and administrative expense.  Research and development expense is predominantly comprised of labor costs and third party consultants.

In May 2012, we completed the Bios Acquisition by acquiring specific assets and assuming certain liabilities of Bios, a New Jersey corporation.  The purchase price for the acquired net assets was $16,660,000 and potential contingent consideration based on revenue growth over a three year earn-out period.  The contingent consideration arrangement requires us to pay Bios if cumulative revenues related to the acquisition for the three years subsequent to the acquisition exceed $22,127,000.  The potential undiscounted future payment that we could be required to make ranges from $0 to $6,710,000.  We borrowed $11,000,000 under our Line of Credit to finance the acquisition, with the balance being paid from available cash.  On December 21, 2010, we acquired the assets associated with the biological indicator line of products of Apex Laboratories, Inc. (the “Apex Acquisition”) for $6,490,000.  On April 27, 2010, we acquired all of the common stock of SGM Biotech, Inc. (the “SGM Acquisition”), another biological indicator business, for $12,083,000.

General Trends and Outlook

Acquisitions in May 2012, December 2010, and April 2010 impacted our current assets and working capital, as we used available cash and incurred debt to complete those transactions.  Our key indicators were impacted following each acquisition as we integrated the acquired operations.  Revenues, gross profit and net income have all increased due to the acquisitions and organic growth.

Our strategic objectives include both growth organically and through further acquisitions.  During the year ended March 31, 2013, we continued to build our infrastructure to prepare for future growth, including the addition of key personnel to our operations, research and development, and finance teams.  We also invested in upgrading our information systems and intend to continue doing so.

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The markets for our biological indicators remain strong, as the disposable nature of these products makes them less sensitive to general economic conditions.  The worldwide market for biological indicators is growing, as more countries focus on verifying the effectiveness of sterilization processes.  Recent general economic conditions have slowed the organic growth of our instruments business, due to the discretionary nature of these products.  Demand for our instruments products, however, is still strong and we strive to maintain or grow revenue going forward.

We are working on several research and development projects that, if completed, may result in new products for both existing customers and in new markets.  We are hopeful that both our Biological Indicators and Instruments Divisions will have new products available for sale in the coming year.

Results of Operations

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, condensed statements of income data.  The table and the discussion below should be read in conjunction with the accompanying financial statements and the notes thereto appearing elsewhere in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” (in thousands, except percent data):

Revenues

The following table summarizes our revenues by source (in thousands, except percent data):

Year ended March 31, 2013 versus March 31, 2012

Biological Indicator revenues increased as a result of continued organic growth, achieved through existing customers, expansion into new markets and price increases.  Instruments revenues increased as a result of the Bios Acquisition, while legacy Instruments product line revenues remained relatively unchanged.

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Effective January 1, 2013, we became subject to a 2.3% medical device excise tax on the domestic sales of a majority of our medical instruments and biological indicators.  Where possible, we renegotiated prices with our customers to recover this additional cost.  We can offer no assurance that we will be able to successfully recover the full amounts paid as medical device excise tax.

Year ended March 31, 2012 versus March 31, 2011

Approximately 50% of the Biological Indicators revenue growth of 21% was organic, due primarily to expanding markets.  The Apex Acquisition contributed a full year of revenues for the year ended March 31, 2012, as compared to three months of revenue for the year ended March 31, 2011.  The additional nine months of Biological Indicators revenue contributed approximately $1,780,000, or the remaining 50% of the growth.  The Instruments revenue increased as a result of organic growth, as well as customers upgrading or expanding as economic uncertainties from the year ended March 31, 2011 lessened.

Gross Profit

The following table summarizes our gross profit by segment (in thousands, except percent data)

Year ended March 31, 2013 versus March 31, 2012

Biological Indicator gross profit increased as a result of improved manufacturing efficiencies, driven by successfully completing the integration of the SGM Acquisition and Apex Acquisition, and increased sales.  Instruments gross profit increased as a result of the Bios Acquisition, while legacy Instruments product line gross profit remained relatively unchanged.

Year ended March 31, 2012 versus March 31, 2011

Biological Indicator gross profit increased due to the Apex Acquisition in December 2010 and organic revenue growth.  The improvement in Instruments gross profit was driven by relatively flat fixed costs with increased sales volumes, coupled with manufacturing efficiencies.  We also integrated manufacturing of one Instruments product line from a third party to our Lakewood, Colorado facility in December 2010, which reduced manufacturing costs and contributed an additional gross profit of approximately $500,000 for the year ended March 31, 2012.

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Operating Expenses

The following table summarizes the change in our operating expenses (in thousands):

Selling

Year ended March 31, 2013 versus March 31, 2012

Selling expense increased due to the Bios Acquisition, with minor increases in other product lines.  As a percent of revenues, selling expense remained relatively flat.

Year ended March 31, 2012 versus March 31, 2011

Selling expense increased due to higher commissions, driven by increased revenues, and adding individuals to the sales force.  As a percent of revenues, selling expense remained relatively flat.

General and Administrative

Year ended March 31, 2013 versus March 31, 2012

As part of our Chief Financial Officer transition, certain unvested options were modified, resulting in incremental stock option expense of approximately $240,000.  The balance of the Chief Financial Officer transition impact includes a severance package and miscellaneous other costs.  All costs associated with the transition were expensed during the year ended March 31, 2013.  We upgraded our ERP system and implemented computer-based controls as part of our Sarbanes-Oxley compliance efforts, which we believe makes us better prepared for any future growth we may experience.  Amortization expense increased due to the Bios Acquisition, in May 2012, and the amortization of trademarks, which began in February 2012.  We recorded estimated sales tax liabilities of $100,000 and $250,000, respectively, for the years ended March 31, 2013 and 2012.  Personnel costs increased primarily due to the Bios Acquisition, but also for additional personnel and salary adjustments.  The remaining increase primarily consists of expenses associated with the acquired operations from the Bios Acquisition and general growth initiatives.

During the year ended March 31, 2013, we determined that we have an obligation for state sales taxes.  The ultimate amount due will depend upon a number of factors, including the amount of sales that were made to customers who already paid the tax

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or who are exempt, the number of years of exposure, and any penalties and interest.  We continue to evaluate this exposure, but as of March 31, 2013 the amount of the liability is not estimable.  The resolution of these sales tax obligations is likely to have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

Year ended March 31, 2012 versus March 31, 2011

Amortization expense increased due to the Apex Acquisition, in December 2010, and the amortization of trademarks, which began in February 2012.  We recorded an estimated sales tax liability of $250,000 for the year ended March 31, 2012, but none for the year ended March 31, 2011.  Personnel costs increased for additional personnel and compensation adjustments.

Research and Development

Year ended March 31, 2013 versus March 31, 2012

The increase is due to additional internal personnel added as a result of the Bios Acquisition, and external research and development consulting costs, as we continue our commitment to research and development.  The cost of intangible assets that are purchased from others for use in research and development activities and have alternative future uses, however, are capitalized and amortized over their expected useful life.  During the year ended March 31, 2012, we capitalized $175,000 of Biological Indicator research as an intangible asset, as it had alternative future uses, and are amortizing it through research and development expense over ten years.  This Biological Indicator research project is anticipated to continue through March 31, 2014.

Year ended March 31, 2012 versus March 31, 2011

While research and development expense decreased in 2012, overall spending on research and development increased, as we capitalized $175,000 associated with Biological Indicator technology.

Impairment of intangible asset

We determined that the carrying value of an Instruments indefinite-lived intangible asset was greater than its estimated fair value and in February, 2012 we recorded an impairment charge of $350,000.  Fair value was estimated using the royalty replacement approach, whereby a royalty percentage was applied to forecasted revenues and discounted to determine the present value.  While gross profit and cash flows have shown improvement since the intangible asset was acquired, revenues have not grown at the level originally used to value the intangible asset.

Net Income

Other expense remained consistent from year to year.  Generally, income tax expense increased commensurate with our growth in profitability.  Income tax expense was reduced for the year ended March 31, 2013, however, by approximately $250,000 for refunds received from amending state income tax returns for prior years.  Overall, net income tracked with the changes in revenue, gross profit and operating expenses.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our sources of liquidity may include cash generated from operations, working capital, capacity under our Credit Facility and potential equity and debt offerings.  We believe that cash generated from these sources will be sufficient to meet our Short-term and long-term needs.  Our more significant uses of resources include quarterly dividends to stockholders, payment of debt obligations, long-term capital equipment expenditures and potential acquisitions.

Working capital is the amount by which current assets exceed current liabilities.  We had working capital of $14,793,000 and $14,899,000, respectively, at March 31, 2013 and 2012.  The decrease in working capital is due to the use of cash for the Bios Acquisition and repayment of long-term debt, partially offset by cash flows from operations.

In February 2012, we entered into the Credit Facility, which is comprised of a three year agreement for a $20,000,000 revolving line of credit and up to $1,000,000 of letters of credit.  Funds from the Credit Facility may be used for general working capital and corporate needs, retiring existing debt, or to support acquisitions and capital expenditures.  In February 2012, we also extinguished our obligations under our previous debt agreement.  In May 2012, we borrowed $11,000,000 against the Line of Credit to partially finance the Bios Acquisition.  At March 31, 2013, we had unused capacity under our Credit Facility of $16,000,000.  In April 2013, we made an additional principal payment of $1,000,000.

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On October 1, 2012, we amended our articles of incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from 8 million to 25 million.

We routinely evaluate opportunities for strategic acquisitions.  Future material acquisitions may require that we obtain additional capital, assume third party debt or incur other long-term obligations.  We believe that have the option to utilize both equity and debt instruments as vehicles for the long-term financing of our investment activities and acquisitions.

On November 7, 2005, our Board of Directors authorized a program to repurchase up to 300,000 shares of our outstanding common stock.  Under the plan, the shares may be purchased from time to time in the open market at prevailing prices or in negotiated transactions off the market.  Shares purchased will be canceled and repurchases will be made with existing cash reserves.  We do not maintain a set policy or schedule for our buyback program.  We have purchased 159,522 shares of common stock under this program from inception through March 31, 2013.

We have been paying regular quarterly dividends since 2003.  Dividends per share paid by quarter were as follows:

On April 11, 2013, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.14 per share of common stock, payable on June 14, 2013, to stockholders of record at the close of business on May 27, 2013.

Cash Flow – Operating, investing and financing activities were as follows (in thousands):

Generally, net cash provided by operating activities changes primarily due to increases in revenues and corresponding net income, offset by the timing of certain working capital expenditures related to inventory and income taxes.  The year ended March 31, 2013 saw an increase in accounts receivable due to our expanding international customer base, which has extended payment terms, and an increase in inventory, as we strive to take advantage of volume discounts for raw materials.  The year ended March 31, 2012 saw an increase in sales levels, which resulted in a reduction in inventory levels.

Net cash used in investing activities was driven by the Bios Acquisition in May 2012, the Apex Acquisition in December 2010, and the SGM Acquisition in April 2010.  The final payment for the Apex Acquisition was made in December 2011.  Purchases of property, plant and equipment were $908,000, $683,000 and $2,645,000, respectively, for the years ended March 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011.

Financing activities for the year ended March 31, 3013 resulted from borrowings under our Line of Credit of $11,000,000 and proceeds from the exercise of stock options of $894,000, partially offset by payments on long-term debt of $7,000,000 and the payment of dividends of $1,815,000.  Activity for the year ended March 31, 2012 resulted from the repayment of debt of $6,500,000 and the payment of dividends of $1,645,000, partially offset by proceeds from the exercise of stock options of $813,000.  Activity for the year ended March 31, 2011, resulted from net borrowings under our debt agreement of $6,222,000 and payment of dividends of $1,488,000.

At March 31, 2013, we had contractual obligations for open purchase orders for routine purchases of supplies and inventory, which were payable in less than one year.  In September 2011, we entered into a license agreement for certain biological indicator technology.  Under the terms of this agreement, we made payments of $175,000 for rights to the technology.  Up to

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$225,000 of additional payments may be made in the future, depending on meeting certain development and performance milestones.

In May 2012, we completed the Bios Acquisition by acquiring specific assets and assuming certain liabilities of Bios, a New Jersey corporation.  The purchase price for the acquired net assets was $16,660,000 and potential contingent consideration based on revenue growth over a three year earn-out period.  The contingent consideration arrangement requires us to pay Bios if cumulative revenues related to the acquisition for the three years subsequent to the acquisition exceed $22,127,000.  The potential undiscounted future payment that we could be required to make ranges from $0 to $6,710,000.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, which require management to make estimates, judgments, and assumptions that affect the amounts reporting in our financial statements and accompanying notes.  We believe that the following are the more critical judgment areas in the application of our accounting policies that currently affect our financial condition and results of operations.  Management has discussed the development, selection, and disclosure of critical accounting policies and estimates with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors.  While our estimates and assumptions are based on our knowledge of current events and actions we may undertake in the future, actual results may ultimately differ from these estimates and assumptions.  For a discussion of our significant accounting policies, please see Note 1 of Notes to Financial Statements contained in “Item 8.  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

Accounts Receivable

We estimate an allowance for doubtful accounts based on overall historic write-offs, the age of our receivable balances, and the payment history and creditworthiness of the customer.  If actual results are not consistent with our assumptions and judgments or our assumptions and estimates change due to new information, we may experience material changes in our allowance for doubtful accounts and bad debt expense.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market, based on standards using the first-in, first-out method (FIFO) to determine cost.  We evaluate standard costs annually, unless circumstances necessitate a mid-year evaluation for specific items.  Our work in process and finished goods inventory includes labor and overhead, which are estimated based on trailing twelve months of expense and standard labor hours for each product.  Our biological indicator inventory is tracked by lot number, thus it is generally based on actual hours.

We monitor inventory cost compared to selling price in order to determine if a lower of cost or market reserve is necessary. At year end we perform a complete physical inventory observation.  Throughout the year, we estimate and maintain an inventory reserve, as needed, for such matters as obsolete inventory, shrink and scrap.  This reserve may fluctuate as our assumptions change due to new information, discrete events, or changes in our business, such as entering new markets or discontinuing a specific product.

Recoverability of Long-lived Assets

For property, plant and equipment, and amortizable intangible assets, recoverability and/or impairment tests are required only when conditions exist that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable.  We monitor the same conditions for our goodwill, but an annual evaluation is also required.  For years ended March 31, 2012 and earlier, indefinite-lived intangible assets were evaluated for impairment by comparing the fair value to the carrying amount.

Monitoring these conditions requires significant management judgment, including evaluating general economic conditions, industry and market considerations, changes in production costs, cash flow trends, and other relevant entity-specific events such as changes in management, key personnel, strategy or customers.

If conditions exist that indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable, we would be required to estimate the fair value of the asset, asset group, or reporting unit.  We determine fair value using widely accepted valuation techniques, primarily discounted cash flow and market multiple analyses.  These techniques are also used when initially allocating the purchase price to acquired

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assets and liabilities.  These types of analyses require us to make assumptions and estimates regarding industry and economic factors, the profitability of future business strategies, and cash flow.

We did not record any impairment charges for the year ended March 31, 2013.  If actual results are not consistent with our assumptions and estimates, or our assumptions and estimates change due to new information, we may be exposed to an impairment charge in the future.

Purchase Accounting for Acquisitions

We apply the acquisition method of accounting for a business combination.  In general, this methodology requires companies to record assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their respective fair market values at the date of acquisition.  Any amount of the purchase price paid that is in excess of the estimated fair value of the net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill.  For the Bios Acquisition, we also recorded a liability for contingent consideration based on estimated future revenue.  We monitor our assumptions surrounding these estimated future cash flows and, if there is a significant change, would record an adjustment to the contingent consideration liability and a corresponding adjustment to either income or expense.

We determine fair value using widely accepted valuation techniques, primarily discounted cash flow and market multiple analyses.  These types of analyses require us to make assumptions and estimates regarding industry and economic factors, the profitability of future business strategies, and cash flow.

If actual results are not consistent with our assumptions and estimates, or our assumptions and estimates change due to new information, we may be exposed to an impairment charge in the future.  If the contingent consideration paid for the Bios Acquisition differs from the amount initially recorded, we would record either income or expense.

Stock-based Compensation

We estimate the fair value of option grants using the Black-Scholes model, which requires us to estimate the volatility and forfeiture rate.  Under our current stock-based compensation plan, we recognize the expense on a straight-line basis over the service period.

Contingent Liabilities

We accrue a loss for contingencies if it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred, and when the amount of loss can be reasonably estimable.  When no accrual is made because one or both of these conditions does not exist, we disclose the contingency if there is at least a reasonable possibility that a loss may have been incurred.  We estimate contingent liabilities, such as for state sales taxes, based on the best information available at the time.  If we have a range of possible outcomes, we accrue the low end of the range.

Recent Accounting Standards and Pronouncements

Please see Note 1 of Notes to Financial Statements contained in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” for a discussion of recent accounting standards and pronouncements.

Contractual Obligations, Commitments and Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

In accordance with the definition under SEC rules, the following qualify as off-balance sheet arrangements:

·                  any obligation under certain guarantee contracts;

·                  a retained or contingent interest in assets transferred to an unconsolidated entity or similar arrangement that serves as credit, liquidity or market risk support to that entity for such assets;

·                  any obligation under certain derivative instruments; and

·                  any obligation arising out of a material variable interest held by the registrant in an unconsolidated entity that provides financing, liquidity, market risk or credit risk support to the registrant, or engages in leasing, hedging or research and development services with the registrant.

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As of March 31, 2013, we have no obligations or interests which qualify as off-balance sheet arrangements.

Contractual Obligations

As of March 31, 2013, our contractual obligations, including payments due by period, are as follows (in thousands):

Our purchase commitments consist primarily of open purchase orders, which we have established to take advantage of volume discounts for materials and to ensure a reliable supply of critical parts.

ITEM 7A.  QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

We have no derivative instruments and minimal exposure to foreign currency and commodity market risks.

We are subject to interest rate volatility with regard to existing and future issuances of debt, as our current credit facility is variable-rate.  Based on annualized variable-rate debt for the year ended March 31, 2013, a one percentage point increase in interest rates would have increased interest expense by $70,000.

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ITEM 8.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Board of Directors and Stockholders

Mesa Laboratories, Inc.

Lakewood, Colorado

We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Mesa Laboratories, Inc. as of March 31, 2013 and 2012 and the related statements of income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended March 31, 2013.  These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Mesa Laboratories, Inc. as of March 31, 2013 and 2012, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended March 31, 2013, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), Mesa Laboratories, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2013, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”), and our report dated June 6, 2013, expressed an unqualified opinion.

/s/ EKS&H LLLP

EKS&H LLLP

June 6, 2013

Denver, Colorado

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board of Directors and Stockholders

Mesa Laboratories, Inc.
Lakewood, Colorado

We have audited Mesa Laboratories, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2013, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”).  As described in Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, management excluded from its assessment the internal control over financial reporting of the specific assets and certain assumed liabilities of Bios International Corporation (“Bios Acquisition”), which were acquired on May 15, 2012, and whose financial statements constitute 5% of total assets and 13% of net sales of the financial amounts of the Company as of and for the year ended March  31, 2013. Accordingly, our audit of internal control over financial reporting of the Company also excluded an evaluation of the internal control over financial reporting of the Bios Acquisition.  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 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 conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). 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, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

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.

In our opinion, Mesa Laboratories, Inc. maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2013, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by COSO.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the balance sheets of Mesa Laboratories, Inc. as of March 31, 2013 and 2012, and the related statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended March 31, 2013, and our report dated June 6, 2013 expressed an unqualified opinion.

/s/ EKS&H LLLP

EKS&H LLLP

June 6, 2013

Denver, Colorado

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Mesa Laboratories, Inc.

Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except share amounts)

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

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Mesa Laboratories, Inc.

Statements of Income

 (In thousands, except per share data)