e11vk
Table of Contents

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 11-K

     
[X]
  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
     
   
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003

OR

     
[  ]
  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
     
   
For the transition period from                     to                    

Commission file number: 000-49733

     
A.
  Savings and Profit Sharing Plan for Employees of First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.
 
  (Full title of the plan)
 
   
  Same as below
 
  (Address of the plan, if different from that of the issuer named below)
 
   
B.
  First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.
  (Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan)
 
   
  401 North 31st Street, P.O. Box 30918, Billings, Montana 59116-0918
 
  (Address of issuer’s principal executive office)


Table of Contents

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF
FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002

 


SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.

Table of Contents

         
    Page
    1  
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
       
    2  
    3  
    4-8  
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
       
    9  
 Consent of Eide Bailly LLP
 Certification Pursuant to Section 906

 


Table of Contents

(EIDEBAILLY LLP LOGO)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT

Executive Committee of the
Savings and Profit Sharing Plan
for Employees of First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.
Billings, Montana

We have audited the accompanying statement of net assets available for benefits of the Savings and Profit Sharing Plan for Employees of First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the related statement of changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 2003. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with 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 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 net assets available for benefits of the Plan as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 2003 in conformity with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental schedule of Assets Held at End of Year is presented for the purpose of additional analysis and is not a required part of the basic financial statements but is supplementary information required by the Department of Labor’s Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. This supplemental schedule is the responsibility of the Plan’s management. The supplemental schedule has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audits of the basic financial statements and in our opinion, is fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.

/s/ Eide Bailly LLP

Billings, Montana
June 10, 2004

1


Table of Contents

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.

STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002
                 
    2003
  2002
ASSETS
               
Investments, at fair value
               
Registered investment companies
  $ 52,279,688     $ 38,307,592  
Employer securities
    26,134,473       22,677,720  
Participant loans
    385,455       184,961  
 
   
 
     
 
 
 
    78,799,616       61,170,273  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Receivables
               
Employer’s contributions
    215,428        
Accrued investment income
    14,509       93,208  
 
   
 
     
 
 
 
    229,937       93,208  
 
   
 
     
 
 
Cash
    336        
 
   
 
     
 
 
NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
  $ 79,029,889     $ 61,263,481  
 
   
 
     
 
 

See notes to financial statements.

2


Table of Contents

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003
         
Additions to net assets attributed to:
       
Investment income
       
Net appreciation in fair value of investments
  $ 11,963,476  
Dividends
    666,225  
Interest
    18,240  
 
   
 
 
 
    12,647,941  
 
   
 
 
Contributions
       
Employer’s
    3,799,541  
Participants’
    3,857,614  
Rollovers
    1,115,622  
 
   
 
 
 
    8,772,777  
 
   
 
 
Total additions
    21,420,718  
 
Deductions from net assets attributed to:
       
Benefits paid to participants
    3,654,310  
 
   
 
 
Net increase
    17,766,408  
 
Net assets available for benefits
       
 
Beginning of year
    61,263,481  
 
   
 
 
End of year
  $ 79,029,889  
 
   
 
 

See notes to financial statements.

3


Table of Contents

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002

NOTE 1 - DESCRIPTION OF PLAN AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Description of Plan

The following description of the First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. (Company) Savings and Profit Sharing Plan for Employees of First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. (Plan) provides only general information. Participants should refer to the Summary Plan Description for a more complete description of the Plan’s provisions.

      General. The Plan is a defined contribution plan covering all employees of the Company’s member banks who are classified as regular-status scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week, or if not classified as regular status have completed 1,000 hours of service in no more than twelve consecutive months. It is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
 
      Elective and Matching Contributions. Each year, participants may elect to contribute pre-tax annual compensation, as defined in the Plan. Such elective contributions are limited to the annual limitation defined in Internal Revenue Code Section 402(g)(1), which was $12,000 for 2003. Participants aged 50 or older before the close of the Plan year are eligible to make catch-up contributions in accordance with, and subject to the limitations of, Section 414(v) of the Code. Participants may also contribute amounts representing distributions from other qualified defined benefit or contribution plans. The Company makes a matching contribution of 125 percent of the first four percent of annual compensation that a participant contributes to the Plan.
 
      Discretionary Contributions. At its discretion, the Company may make a quarterly profit sharing contribution. The Plan also allows for an Applicable Minimum Employer contribution and a Specified Minimum Employer contribution as determined by the Company’s board of directors by appropriate resolution on or before the last day of the Company’s tax year.
 
      Participant Accounts. Each participant’s account is credited with the participant’s contributions and allocations of the Company contributions and Plan earnings. Allocations of participant earnings are based on account balances, as defined. Forfeited balances of terminated participants’ nonvested accounts are used to reduce future Company contributions. The benefit to which a participant is entitled is the benefit that can be provided from the participant’s vested account.
 
      Vesting. Participants are immediately vested in their contributions and any rollover contributions plus allocated earnings thereon. Vesting in the Company’s matching and profit sharing contribution portions of their accounts and earnings thereon is contingent upon the participant’s date of hire. Employees that were hired before January 1, 2000 and participating in the plan before January 1, 2001 are 100 percent vested in the Company’s matching and profit sharing contributions. Employees that were hired as regular-status working 20 hours or more per week during the fiscal year 2000 and became participants in fiscal year 2001 are also 100 percent vested in the Company’s matching and profit sharing contributions. Employees hired in fiscal year 2001 or later are subject to a vesting schedule based on years of service. These participants are 100 percent vested in the Company’s matching and profit sharing contributions after three years of credited service.

(continued on next page)

4


Table of Contents

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002

      Participant loans. Loans are limited to the lesser of (a) 50 percent of the participant’s vested account balance or (b) $50,000, reduced by the excess, if any, of (i) the participant’s highest outstanding loan balance during the previous year, over (ii) the participant’s outstanding loan balance on the date the loan is made. Loan terms shall not exceed the earlier of (a) 15 years if the loan is for the purchase of a principal residence of the borrower or (b) five years for all other loans. The loans are secured by the balance in the participant’s account and bear a rate of interest which is commensurate with the interest rates being charged at the time such loan is made under similar circumstances by financial institutions in the community in which the Company’s principal office is then located. Interest rates on the participant loans outstanding at December 31, 2003 ranged from 5.0 percent to 10.5 percent. Principal and interest is paid ratably through biweekly payroll deductions.
 
      Investment Options. Upon enrollment in the Plan, a participant may direct contributions in a variety of registered investment companies. The most common options are as follows:

      Spartan Money Market Fund – Funds are invested in securities whose interest is exempt from state and local income taxes.
Accessor Growth Fund – Funds are invested in equity securities with greater than average growth characteristics.
Accessor Balanced Allocation – The Funds are divided between equity funds and fixed-income funds.
Accessor Aggressive Growth Allocation – Funds are invested in the domestic and international equity markets.
Accessor Growth & Income – Funds are invested in equity funds with regard to weight, with a smaller amount of its assets in fixed-income funds.

      A participant may not contribute to, but may direct transfers from any investment into, the following investment option:

      First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. Stock – Funds are invested in First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. stock (Company Stock). A participant’s investment in Company Stock is limited to 50 percent of the participant’s account balance, as defined.
 
      As of December 31, 2003 and 2002, plan assets invested in Company Stock were 33 percent and 37 percent of net assets available for benefits, respectively.

      Payment of Benefits. After termination of service due to death, disability, or retirement, a participant with an account balance of more than $5,000 may, on any distribution date following termination, elect to receive either a lump sum distribution of his/her vested account balance or installment payments (annually, quarterly, or monthly) over a specified period of time, not exceeding ten years. Any participant account balance with less than $5,000 is distributed in a lump sum. For termination of service due to other reasons, a participant may receive the value of the vested interest in his/her account as a lump sum distributions. A participant may elect to receive a hardship distribution, without termination of employment, if he/she qualifies under the hardship withdrawal rules.

(continued on next page)

5


Table of Contents

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002

      Member Employers. Members of the Plan include First Interstate BancSystem, Inc. and the following subsidiaries:

      First Interstate Bank
Commerce Financial, Inc.
FIB Capital Trust
FI Reinsurance, Ltd.
i_Tech Corporation

      Forfeited Accounts. At December 31, 2003 and 2002, forfeited non-vested accounts totaled $176,190 and $2,073, respectively. These accounts will be used to reduce future employer contributions. During the year ended December 31, 2003, $2,073 was used to reduce current employer contributions.

Basis of Accounting

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared on an accrual basis and present the net assets available for participant benefits and changes in those net assets.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Investment Valuation and Income Recognition

The Plan’s investments in registered investment companies are valued at quoted market prices. Company Stock is valued based on an independent appraisal prepared by Alex Sheshunoff & Co. Investment Banking. The appraised fair market value of a share of Company Stock was $49.50 and $45.00 at September 30, 2003 and 2002, respectively.

Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

Payment of Benefits

Benefits are recorded when paid.

Income Tax Status

The Plan obtained its latest determination letter dated July 2, 2003, in which the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stated that the Plan, as then designed, was in compliance with the applicable requirements of Internal Revenue Code (IRC).

(continued on next page)

6


Table of Contents

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002

NOTE 2 – INVESTMENTS

The following presents the individual investments (all participant-directed) that represent 5 percent or more of the Plan assets available for benefits:

                                 
    2003
  2002
    Number           Number    
    of units
  Fair Value
  of units
  Fair Value
Registered investment companies, fair value as determined by quoted market price:
                               
Accessor Funds
                               
Growth Allocation
    697,672     $ 9,502,302       627,346     $ 6,769,067  
Balanced Allocation
    586,488       8,445,434       466,882       5,780,002  
Aggressive Growth Allocation
    479,130       6,267,023       433,473       4,347,739  
Growth & Income Allocation
    374,836       5,303,936       345,445       4,096,977  
Spartan Money Market Fund
    3,306,987       3,306,987       3,468,164       3,468,164  
Employer securities, fair value as determined by appraisal:
                               
First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.
    527,969       26,134,473       503,949       22,677,720  
 
           
 
             
 
 
Stock
          $ 58,960,155             $ 47,139,669  
 
           
 
             
 
 

During 2003, the Plan’s investments (including gains and losses on investments bought and sold, as well as held during the year) appreciated in value by $11,963,476 as follows:

         
Investments at fair value as determined by quoted market price:
       
Registered investment companies
  $ 9,653,476  
Investments at fair value as determined by appraisal:
       
Employer securities
    2,310,000  
 
   
 
 
 
  $ 11,963,476  
 
   
 
 

NOTE 3 – ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

Fidelity Investments Institutional Brokerage Group holds the Plan’s assets and Rocky Mountain Employee Benefits, Inc. performs the recordkeeping for the Plan, exclusive of Company Stock and participant loans. The Company pays the administrative fees related to these services performed for the Plan.

(continued on next page)

7


Table of Contents

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2003 AND 2002

NOTE 4 - PLAN TERMINATION

Although the Company has not expressed any intent to do so, they have the right to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of ERISA. In the event of Plan termination, participants will become 100 percent vested in their accounts.

NOTE 5 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company performs the recordkeeping for the Plan’s Company Stock and participant loans. Fees were paid from the participant accounts for the processing of loans and distributions totaling $8,828 for the year ended December 31, 2003. These fees are considered customary and reasonable for such services.

Certain Plan investments are shares of mutual funds managed by Fidelity Investments. Fidelity Investments is a trustee of certain Plan assets and, therefore, these transactions qualify as party-in-interest.

8


Table of Contents

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF
FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

 


Table of Contents

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN
FOR EMPLOYEES OF FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.

SCHEDULE H, LINE 4i - SCHEDULE OF ASSETS (HELD AT END OF YEAR)
DECEMBER 31, 2003


EIN 81-0331430
PN 003

                     
(a)   (b) Identity of issue, borrower, lessor,   (c) Description of investment including   (d) Cost   (e) Current  
        or similar party       maturity date, rate of interest, collat-         value  
            eral, par or maturity value          

 
 
 
 
 
*
  First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.   Employer securities, 527,969sh   N/A   $ 26,134,473  
  Accessor Funds   Growth Allocation, Mutual Fund, 697,672u   N/A     9,502,302  
  Accessor Funds   Balanced Allocation, Mutual Fund, 586,488u   N/A     8,445,434  
  Accessor Funds   Aggressive Growth Allocation, Mutual Fund, 479,130u   N/A     6,267,023  
  Accessor Funds   Growth and Income Allocation, Mutual Fund, 374,836u   N/A     5,303,936  
*
  Fidelity Group   Spartan US Equity Index, Mutual Fund, 98,197u   N/A     3,869,959  
  Harbor Funds   International, Mutual Fund, 91,615u   N/A     3,370,519  
*
  Fidelity Investments   Spartan Money Market, 4.1%   N/A     3,306,987  
  Accessor Funds   Growth Fund, Mutual Fund, 80,677u   N/A     1,675,664  
  Accessor Funds   Small to Mid Cap, Mutual Fund, 73,827u   N/A     1,550,371  
  Managers Funds   Special Equity, Mutual Fund, 16,998u   N/A     1,334,222  
  Davis Funds   New York Venture, Mutual Fund, 45,682u   N/A     1,257,191  
  Accessor Funds   Value and Income, Mutual Fund, 60,603u   N/A     1,065,416  
*
  Fidelity Advisor   Equity Growth, Mutual Fund, 22,727u   N/A     1,057,499  
  Franklin Templeton Investments   Small to Mid Cap, Mutual Fund, 30,115u   N/A     910,098  
  Vanguard Group   Intermediate Term Treasury, Mutual Fund, 76,463u   N/A     871,685  
  Columbia Funds   Fixed Income, Mutual Fund, 59,052u   N/A     797,804  
  Federated Investors   GNMA Institutional, Mutual Fund, 65,893u   N/A     744,596  
  Accessor Funds   Income and Growth Allocation, Mutual Fund, 34,354u   N/A     509,481  
  Accessor Funds   Income Allocation, Mutual Fund, 18,502u   N/A     282,907  
*
  Fidelity Investments   Spartan Government Income, Mutual Fund, 14,209u   N/A     156,594  
  Participant loans   Interest ranging from 5.0 to 10.5%   -0-     385,455  
               
 
 
              $ 78,799,616  
               
 
 

* Party-in-interest to the Plan

See accompanying independent auditors’ report.

9


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the trustees have duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

SAVINGS AND PROFIT SHARING PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES OF FIRST INTERSTATE BANCSYSTEM, INC.

     
June 23, 2004
  /s/ ROBERT A. JONES

 
 
 
Date
  Robert A. Jones
  Plan Administrator
  Savings and Profit Sharing Plan for Employees of
  First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.

 


Table of Contents

First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.

EXHIBIT INDEX

     
Exhibit
  Document
23.1
  Consent of Eide Bailly LLP, Independent Certified Public Accountants.
32   
 
Certification of Annual Report on Form 11-K pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.