SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

                            ________________________

                                    FORM 10-Q

                  Quarterly Report under Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                            ________________________

For Quarter Ended September 30, 1997         Commission file no. 0-10546

                              LAWSON PRODUCTS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


             Delaware                        36-2229304

 (State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation or organization)        Identification No.)

1666 East Touhy Avenue, Des Plaines, Illinois                 60018             
(Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)          

Registrant's telephone no., including area code:  (847) 827-9666

Not applicable
Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last
report.

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

Yes   X     No      

     Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's classes
of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
11,135,133 Shares, $1 par value, as of November 10, 1997.


                     LAWSON PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                      CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Amounts in thousands) September 30, December 31, 1997 1996 (unaudited) ASSETS Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 16,491 $ 14,515 Marketable securities 10,017 14,266 Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts 34,829 30,326 Inventories (Note B) 41,194 37,047 Miscellaneous receivables and prepaid expenses 6,400 6,340 Deferred income taxes 676 606 Total Current Assets 109,607 103,100 Marketable securities 14,870 13,453 Property, plant and equipment, less allowances for depreciation and amortization 40,144 40,053 Investments in real estate 3,481 3,305 Deferred income taxes 4,238 3,758 Other assets 12,467 11,493 Total Assets $ 184,807 $ 175,162 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities: Accounts payable $ 5,468 $ 6,007 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 16,793 15,850 Income taxes 2,405 2,493 Total Current Liabilities 24,666 24,350 Accrued liability under security bonus plans 13,784 12,887 Other 10,158 9,179 23,942 22,066 Stockholders' Equity: Preferred Stock, $1 par value: Authorized - 500,000 shares Issued and outstanding - None --- --- Common Stock, $1 par value: Authorized - 35,000,000 shares Issued - (1997 - 11,124,939 shares; 1996 - 11,311,464 shares) 11,125 11,311 Capital in excess of par value 520 512 Retained earnings 125,167 117,234 136,812 129,057 Other (613) (311) Total Stockholders' Equity 136,199 128,746 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 184,807 $ 175,162 See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements
LAWSON PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED)
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data) For the For the Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 1997 1996 1997 1996 Net sales $ 71,420 $ 66,303 $207,693 $185,890 Investment and other income 408 475 1,188 1,525 71,828 66,778 208,881 187,415 Cost of goods sold (Note B) 24,331 22,856 71,167 60,286 Selling, general and administrative expenses 37,453 35,651 110,258 103,965 61,784 58,507 181,425 164,251 Income before income taxes 10,044 8,271 27,456 23,164 Provision for income taxes 4,165 3,443 11,206 9,583 Net income $ 5,879 $ 4,828 $ 16,250 $ 13,581 Net income per share of common stock $ 0.53 $ 0.42 $ 1.46 $ 1.17 Cash dividends declared per share of common stock $ 0.14 $ 0.13 $ 0.40 $ 0.39 Weighted average shares outstanding 11,125 11,601 11,158 11,609 See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
LAWSON PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)
(Amounts in thousands) For the Nine months ended September 30, 1997 1996 Operating activities: Net income $ 16,250 $ 13,581 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 3,746 2,981 Changes in operating assets and liabilities (10,303) (4,697) Other 1,875 2,353 Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities 11,568 14,218 Investing activities: Additions to property, plant and equipment (3,886) (2,774) Purchases of marketable securities (118,637) (318,335) Proceeds from sale of marketable securities 121,302 327,600 Acquisition of Automatic Screw Machine Products, - (10,506) net of cash acquired Other 40 100 Net Cash Used in Investing Activities (1,181) (3,915) Financing activities: Purchases of treasury stock (4,062) (2,095) Dividends paid (4,366) (4,535) Other 17 9 Net Cash Used in Financing Activities (8,411) (6,621) Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents 1,976 3,682 Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period 14,515 10,432 Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period $ 16,491 $ 14,114 See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.
Part I NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS A) As contemplated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the accompanying consolidated financial statements and footnotes have been condensed and therefore, do not contain all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles. Reference should be made to the Company's Annual Report to Stockholders for the year ended December 31, 1996. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of September 30, 1997, the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 1997 and 1996 and the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine month periods ended September 30, 1997 and 1996 are unaudited. In the opinion of the Company, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) have been made, which are necessary to present fairly the results of operations for the interim periods. Operating results for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 1997 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 1997. B) Inventories (consisting of primarily finished goods) at September 30, 1997 and cost of goods sold for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 1997 and 1996 were determined through the use of estimated gross profit rates. C) On April 30, 1996 the Company purchased substantially all of the assets and liabilities of Automatic Screw Machine Products Company (Automatic) for cash of approximately $10,746,000. This transaction was accounted for as a purchase, accordingly, the accounts and transactions of Automatic have been included in the consolidated financial statements since the date of acquisition. D) In February 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement No. 128, "Earnings per Share," which is required to be adopted on December 31, 1997. At that time, the Company will be required to change the method currently used to compute earnings per share and to restate all prior periods. Under the new requirements for calculating primary earnings per share, the dilutive effect of stock options will be excluded. The impact of Statement 128 on the calculation of primary and fully diluted earnings per share for the nine months ended September 30, 1997 and September 30, 1996 is not material. Part I Independent Accountants' Review Report Board of Directors Lawson Products, Inc. We have reviewed the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet of Lawson Products, Inc. and subsidiaries as of September 30, 1997 and the related condensed consolidated statements of income for the three month and nine month periods ended September 30, 1997 and 1996 and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine month periods ended September 30, 1997 and 1996. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. We conducted our review in accordance with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures to financial data, and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, which will be performed for the full year with the objective of expressing an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion. Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements referred to above for them to be in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. We have previously audited, in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, the consolidated balance sheet of Lawson Products, Inc. as of December 31, 1996, and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders, equity and cash flows for the year then ended, not presented herein, and in our report dated February 21, 1997, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 1996, is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived. ERNST & YOUNG LLP October 17, 1997 Part I ITEM 2 MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS Net sales for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 1997, increased 7.7% to $71,420,000 and 11.7% to $207,693,000 relative to the similar periods of 1996. The gains are primarily the result of both a gain in the number of orders processed and sales related to the business acquired in April, 1996. Net income for the third quarter rose 21.8% to $5,879,000 ($.53 per share) from $4,828,000 ($.42 per share) while net income for the nine months ended September 30, 1997 increased 19.6% to $16,250,000 ($1.46 per share) from $13,581,000 ($1.17 per share) relative to the similar periods of 1996. The third quarter increase is attributable to the gains in net sales noted above and cost containment efforts. The nine month period also benefitted from gains in net sales and cost containment efforts, which more than offset lower gross margins. Per share net income for 1997 and 1996 was positively impacted by the Company's share repurchase program. Cash flows provided by operations for the nine months ended September 30, 1997 decreased to $11,568,000 from $14,218,000 in the similar period of the prior year. This decline was due primarily to an increase in operating assets (principally accounts receivable and inventory) and a decrease in operating liabilities, which more than offset the gain in net income from the comparable period of 1996. Current investments and cash flows from operations are expected to be sufficient to finance the Company's future growth, cash dividends and capital expenditures. Additions to property, plant and equipment were $3,886,000 and $2,774,000, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 1997 and 1996. Capital expenditures during 1997 primarily reflect purchases of computer related equipment and costs incurred for the completion of the facilities expansion at the Company's specialty chemical subsidiary, Drummond American Corporation. This project, the total cost of which is approximately $3,000,000, was completed during the second quarter of 1997. Capital expenditures during 1996 primarily reflect purchases of computer related equipment. During the second quarter of 1996, the Company purchased substantially all of the assets and liabilities of Automatic Screw Machine Products Company (Automatic), headquartered in Decatur, Alabama, at a cost of approximately $10,746,000. Automatic is a manufacturer and distributor of production components. In 1996, the Board of Directors authorized the purchase of up to 1,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock. During the first nine months of 1997, the Company expended $4,062,000 to acquire 187,500 shares under the 1996 stock repurchase program. To date, 479,500 shares have been purchased relative to the 1996 stock repurchase program. During the first nine months of 1996, the Company spent $2,095,000 to acquire the remaining 86,000 shares authorized under the 1994 stock repurchase program. All treasury shares purchased as of September 30, 1997 have been retired. Part II OTHER INFORMATION Items 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are inapplicable and have been omitted from this report. Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K. (a) 15 Letter from Ernst & Young LLP Regarding Unaudited Interim Financial Information 27 Financial Data Schedule (b) The registrant was not required to file Form 8-K for the most recently completed quarter. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. LAWSON PRODUCTS, INC. (Registrant) Dated November 13, 1997 /s/ Bernard Kalish Bernard Kalish Chairman of the Board Dated November 13, 1997 /s/ Joseph L. Pawlick Joseph L. Pawlick Vice President and Controller
                                                                      Exhibit 15
                                     Part I


October 17, 1997


Board of Directors
Lawson Products, Inc.


We are aware of the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement
(Form S-8 No. 33-17912 dated November 4, 1987) of Lawson Products, Inc. of our
report dated October 17, 1997 relating to the unaudited condensed consolidated
interim financial statements of Lawson Products, Inc. which are included in its
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1997.

Pursuant to Rule 436(c) of the Securities Act of 1933 our report is not part of
the registration statement prepared or certified by accountants within the
meaning of Section 7 or 11 of the Securities Act of 1933.



                                   ERNST & YOUNG LLP

 

5 This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from Lawson Product's, Inc. Form 10-Q and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such Form 10-Q filing. 1,000 9-MOS DEC-31-1997 SEP-30-1997 16,491 24,887 34,829 0 41,194 109,607 40,144 0 184,807 24,666 0 0 0 11,125 125,074 184,807 207,693 1,188 71,167 71,167 0 780 17 27,456 11,206 16,250 0 0 0 16,250 1.46 1.46