Nortech Systems Reports Third Quarter Results

GlobeNewswire Inc.

November 07, 2024 1:10PM GMT

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nortech Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq: NSYS) (“Nortech” or the “Company”), a leading provider of engineering and manufacturing solutions for complex electromedical and electromechanical products serving the medical, industrial and defense markets, reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

2024 Q3 Highlights:

 

Net sales of $31.4 million

 

Net loss of ($739) thousand, or ($0.27) per diluted share

 

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (“EBITDA”) of $143 thousand

 

90-day backlog of $29.6 million as of September 30, 2024

 

 

 

Management Commentary

“Third quarter net sales were impacted by a continuing pattern of customers’ delaying product purchases, as well as customers’ desire to reduce their inventory and to shorten purchase order to fulfillment timelines, both of which have also negatively impacted many in the contract manufacturing industry over the last several quarters,” said Jay D. Miller, President and CEO of Nortech. “We see this as an opportunity to further strengthen customer relationships which are key to achieving the Company’s long-term strategic objectives. 2024 has been a difficult year with significant headwinds. However, we are meeting these challenges by consolidating facilities and moving a significant number of programs to lower-cost, higher-margin locations, while investing in important new capabilities. In general, we are continuing to position Nortech for sustained long-term health and growth in the face of short-term challenges.”

“We have just completed a restructuring of our back office and plant operations to better serve our customers by delivering high-quality products and services on-time with shorter lead times,” Miller noted. “We are very pleased with the progress in the third quarter of 2024 to consolidate the Company’s North American footprint and to move customer programs to manufacturing locations that better fit our customers’ needs. These are strategic moves to better scale the business, improve efficiency and reduce our ongoing cost structure. We are very bullish about our customer pipeline and the future of Nortech Systems.”

Summary Financial Information

The following table provides summary financial information comparing the third quarter 2024 (“Q3 2024”) financial results to the same quarter in 2023 (“Q3 2023”) as well as the nine-month ended September 30, 2024 (“YTD 24”) information to the same period in 2023 (“YTD 2023”).

($ in thousands)

 

Q3 24

 

 

Q3 23

 

 

% Change

 

 

YTD 24

 

 

YTD 23

 

 

% Change

 

Net sales

 

$

31,407

 

 

$

33,369

 

 

 

(5.9

)%

 

$

99,513

 

 

$

103,278

 

 

 

(3.6

)%

Gross profit

 

$

3,835

 

 

$

5,318

 

 

 

(27.9

)%

 

$

13,900

 

 

$

16,277

 

 

 

(14.6

)%

Operating expenses

 

$

4,518

 

 

$

4,325

 

 

 

4.5

%

 

$

13,416

 

 

$

13,365

 

 

 

(0.38

)%

Net income

 

$

(739

)

 

$

1,206

 

 

 

(161.3

)%

 

$

183

 

 

$

2,523

 

 

 

(92.8

)%

EBITDA

 

$

(33

)

 

$

1,637

 

 

 

(102.0

)%

 

$

2,432

 

 

$

4,815

 

 

 

(49.5

)%

Adjusted EBITDA

 

$

143

 

 

$

1,637

 

 

 

(91.1

)%

 

$

2,699

 

 

$

4,815

 

 

 

(44.6

)%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conference Call

The Company will hold a live conference call and webcast at 7:30 a.m. central time on Thursday, November 7, 2024, to discuss the Company’s 2024 third quarter results. The call will be hosted by Jay D. Miller, Chief Executive Officer and President and Andrew D. C. LaFrence, Chief Financial Officer. To access the live audio conference call, US participants may call 888-506-0062 and international participants may call 973-528-0011. Participant Access Code: 277848. Participants may also access the call via webcast at: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2814/51403.

###

About Nortech Systems Incorporated

Nortech Systems is a leading provider of design and manufacturing solutions for complex electromedical devices, electromechanical systems, assemblies, and components. Nortech primarily serves the medical, aerospace & defense, and industrial markets. Its design services span concept development to commercial design, and include medical device, software, electrical, mechanical, and biomedical engineering. Its manufacturing and supply chain capabilities are vertically integrated around wire/cable/interconnect assemblies, printed circuit board assemblies, as well as system-level assembly, integration, and final test. Headquartered in Maple Grove, Minn., Nortech currently has seven manufacturing locations and design centers across the U.S., Latin America, and Asia. Nortech Systems is traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol NSYS. Nortech’s website is www.nortechsys.com.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including without limitation statements regarding future financial results, strengthening of customer relationships, , shortening product lead times, achieving long-term strategic goals, effects of restructuring and consolidating manufacturing facilities, effects of investing in new capabilities, sustained long-term health and growth, ability to scale our business, reducing cost structure and optimism about customer pipeline. While this release is based on management’s best judgment and current expectations, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, without limitation: (1) commodity cost increases coupled with challenges in raising prices and/or customer pressure to reduce prices; (2) supply chain disruptions leading to shortages of critical components; (3) volatility in market conditions which may affect demand for the Company’s products; (4) increased competition and/or reduced demand; (5) changes in the reliability and efficiency of operating facilities or those of third parties; (6) risks related to the availability of labor; (7) the unanticipated loss of any key member of senior management; (8) geopolitical, economic, financial and business conditions; (9) the Company’s ability to steadily improve manufacturing output and product quality or (10) the impact of global health epidemics on our customers, employees, manufacturing facilities, suppliers, the capital markets and our financial condition. Some of the above-mentioned factors are described in further detail in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our annual and quarterly reports, as applicable. You should assume the information appearing in this document is accurate only as of the date hereof, or as otherwise specified, as our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since such date. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States and the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, to reflect actual results or changes in factors or assumptions affecting such forward-looking statements.

Reconciliation of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measure

EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure used by management that we believe provides useful information to investors because it reflects ongoing performance excluding certain non-recurring items during comparable periods and facilitates comparisons between peer companies since interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization can differ greatly between different organizations as a result of differing capital structures and tax strategies. EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) plus interest expense, plus income tax expense plus depreciation expense and amortization expense. EBITDA should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA reflects the impact of restructuring and non-recurring items. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not a measurement of our financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered an alternative to net sales or net income, as applicable, or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other businesses. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA have limitations as an analytical metric, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our operating results as reported under GAAP.

NORTECH SYSTEMS INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
(UNAUDITED)
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE DATA)

 

 

THREE MONTHS ENDED

 

 

NINE MONTHS ENDED

 

 

 

SEPTEMBER 30,

 

 

SEPTEMBER 30,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net sales

 

$

31,407

 

 

$

33,369

 

 

$

99,513

 

 

$

103,278

 

Cost of goods sold

 

 

27,572

 

 

 

28,050

 

 

 

85,613

 

 

 

87,001

 

Gross profit

 

 

3,835

 

 

 

5,319

 

 

 

13,900

 

 

 

16,277

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selling

 

 

891

 

 

 

923

 

 

 

2,605

 

 

 

2,766

 

General and administrative

 

 

2,951

 

 

 

2,958

 

 

 

9,103

 

 

 

9,328

 

Research and development

 

 

284

 

 

 

314

 

 

 

893

 

 

 

907

 

Restructuring charges

 

 

176

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

267

 

 

 

-

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

4,302

 

 

 

4,195

 

 

 

12,868

 

 

 

13,001

 

(Loss) income from operations

 

 

(467

)

 

 

1,124

 

 

 

1,032

 

 

 

3,276

 

Other expense:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

 

(216

)

 

 

(130

)

 

 

(548

)

 

 

(365

)

(Loss) income before income taxes

 

 

(683

)

 

 

994

 

 

 

484

 

 

 

2,911

 

Income tax expense (benefit)

 

 

56

 

 

 

(213

)

 

 

301

 

 

 

389

 

Net (loss) income

 

$

(739

)

 

$

1,207

 

 

$

183

 

 

$

2,522

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net (loss) income per common share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic (in dollars per share)

 

$

(0.27

)

 

$

0.44

 

 

$

0.07

 

 

$

0.93

 

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic (in shares)

 

 

2,760,438

 

 

 

2,737,895

 

 

 

2,754,389

 

 

 

2,716,166

 

Diluted (in dollars per share)

 

$

(0.27

)

 

$

0.42

 

 

$

0.06

 

 

$

0.87

 

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)

 

 

2,760,438

 

 

 

2,888,679

 

 

 

2,931,343

 

 

 

2,887,889

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income (loss)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign currency translation

 

 

223

 

 

 

(77

)

 

 

(135

)

 

 

(318

)

Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

 

$

(516

)

 

$

1,130

 

 

$

48

 

 

$

2,204

 


NORTECH SYSTEMS INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 AND DECMEBER 31, 2023
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE DATA)

 

 

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

 

 

DECEMBER 31, 2023

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash

 

$

1,239

 

 

$

960

 

Restricted cash

 

 

-

 

 

 

715

 

Accounts receivable, less allowances of $286 and $358, respectively

 

 

16,584

 

 

 

19,279

 

Inventories, net

 

 

22,332

 

 

 

21,660

 

Contract assets

 

 

15,058

 

 

 

14,481

 

Prepaid assets and other assets

 

 

5,065

 

 

 

1,698

 

Total current assets

 

 

60,278

 

 

 

58,793

 

Property and equipment, net

 

 

5,834

 

 

 

6,513

 

Operating lease assets, net

 

 

8,034

 

 

 

6,917

 

Deferred tax assets

 

 

2,641

 

 

 

2,641

 

Other intangible assets, net

 

 

179

 

 

 

263

 

Total assets

 

$

76,966

 

 

$

75,127

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current portion of finance lease obligations

 

$

492

 

 

$

356

 

Current portion of operating lease obligations

 

 

1,174

 

 

 

1,033

 

Accounts payable

 

 

12,315

 

 

 

15,924

 

Accrued payroll and commissions

 

 

2,940

 

 

 

4,138

 

Customer deposits

 

 

5,263

 

 

 

4,068

 

Other accrued liabilities

 

 

1,134

 

 

 

1,063

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

23,318

 

 

 

26,582

 

Long-term liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term line of credit, net of issuance costs

 

 

9,508

 

 

 

5,815

 

Long-term finance lease obligations, net of current portion

 

 

340

 

 

 

209

 

Long-term operating lease obligations, net of current portion

 

 

7,689

 

 

 

6,763

 

Other long-term liabilities

 

 

421

 

 

 

414

 

Total long-term liabilities

 

 

17,958

 

 

 

13,201

 

Total liabilities

 

 

41,276

 

 

 

39,783

 

Shareholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock, $1 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; 250,000 shares issued and outstanding

 

 

250

 

 

 

250

 

Common stock - $0.01 par value; 9,000,000 shares authorized; 2,762,177 and 2,740,178 shares issued and outstanding, respectively

 

 

28

 

 

 

27

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

17,226

 

 

 

16,929

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

 

(667

)

 

 

(532

)

Retained earnings

 

 

18,853

 

 

 

18,670

 

Total shareholders’ equity

 

 

35,690

 

 

 

35,344

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

$

76,966

 

 

$

75,127

 


NORTECH SYSTEMS INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)
(IN THOUSANDS) 

 

 

SEPTEMBER 30,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

183

 

 

$

2,522

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

1,400

 

 

 

1,539

 

Compensation on stock-based awards

 

 

334

 

 

 

299

 

Change in inventory reserves

 

 

194

 

 

 

(8

)

Change in accounts receivable allowances

 

 

(72

)

 

 

-

 

Other, net

 

 

9

 

 

 

119

 

Changes in current operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

2,727

 

 

 

(162

)

Employee Retention Credit Receivable

 

 

-

 

 

 

2,650

 

Inventories

 

 

(922

)

 

 

899

 

Contract assets

 

 

(577

)

 

 

(1,780

)

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

 

(2,888

)

 

 

(976

)

Accounts payable

 

 

(3,609

)

 

 

(1,636

)

Accrued payroll and commissions

 

 

(1,198

)

 

 

(810

)

Customer deposits

 

 

1,195

 

 

 

345

 

Other accrued liabilities

 

 

181

 

 

 

(820

)

Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

 

 

(3,043

)

 

 

2,181

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from sale of property and equipment

 

 

9

 

 

 

-

 

Purchases of property and equipment

 

 

(980

)

 

 

(1,121

)

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(971

)

 

 

(1,121

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from line of credit

 

 

99,888

 

 

 

95,783

 

Payments to line of credit

 

 

(96,184

)

 

 

(98,035

)

Proceeds from financing leases

 

 

198

 

 

 

-

 

Principal payments on financing leases

 

 

(304

)

 

 

(291

)

Share repurchases

 

 

(67

)

 

 

-

 

Proceeds from stock option exercises

 

 

30

 

 

 

155

 

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

 

 

3,561

 

 

 

(2,388

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

 

 

17

 

 

 

(32

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

 

 

(436

)

 

 

(1,360

)

Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period

 

 

1,675

 

 

 

2,481

 

Cash and cash equivalents - end of period

 

$

1,239

 

 

$

1,121

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reconciliation of cash and restricted cash reported within the condensed consolidated balance sheets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash

 

$

1,239

 

 

$

699

 

Restricted cash

 

 

-

 

 

 

422

 

Total cash and restricted cash reported in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows

 

$

1,239

 

 

$

1,121

 

 

 

THREE MONTHS ENDEDSeptember 30,

 

 

NINE MONTHS ENDEDSeptember 30,

 

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

 

2024

 

 

2023

 

RECONCILIATION OF NET (LOSS) INCOME TO EBITDA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

($ in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net (Loss) Income

 

$

(739

)

 

$

1,206

 

 

$

183

 

 

$

2,523

 

Interest

 

 

216

 

 

 

131

 

 

 

548

 

 

 

365

 

Taxes

 

 

56

 

 

 

(213

)

 

 

301

 

 

 

389

 

Depreciation

 

 

430

 

 

 

473

 

 

 

1,316

 

 

 

1,420

 

Amortization

 

 

4

 

 

 

39

 

 

 

84

 

 

 

119

 

EBITDA

 

 

(33

)

 

 

1,637

 

 

 

2,432

 

 

 

4,815

 

Restructuring Charges

 

 

176

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

267

 

 

 

-

 

ADJUSTED EBITDA

 

$

143

 

 

$

1,637

 

 

$

2,699

 

 

$

4,815

 


There were no material adjustments to EBITDA in 2023.

Adjustment to EBITDA in 2024 includes ($ in thousands):

 

In the second quarter of 2024, we announced the closure of our Blue Earth, Minnesota facility by the end of 2024. In connection with this action, we accrued $267 thousand of retention bonus and other expenses in the nine-months ended September 30, 2024, which expense amount is not included in Adjusted EBITDA.

($ in millions)

 

Last Twelve Months (LTM) Ended in Quarter

 

 

 

Q3 2021

 

 

Q4 2021

 

 

Q1 2022

 

 

Q2 2022

 

 

Q3 2022

 

 

Q4 2022

 

 

Q1 2023

 

 

Q2 2023

 

 

Q3 2023

 

 

Q4 2023

 

 

Q1 2024

 

 

Q2 2024

 

 

Q3 2024

 

Net Sales

 

$

105.5

 

 

$

115.2

 

 

$

123.8

 

 

$

126.1

 

 

$

132.0

 

 

$

134.1

 

 

$

138.3

 

 

$

140.8

 

 

$

138.9

 

 

$

139.3

 

 

$

138.7

 

 

$

137.5

 

 

$

135.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross Profit $ - Adjusted

 

 

10.3

 

 

 

11.2

 

 

 

13.7

 

 

 

15.1

 

 

 

18.1

 

 

 

20.5

 

 

 

21.9

 

 

 

22.4

 

 

 

21.4

 

 

 

23.1

 

 

 

23.1

 

 

 

22.2

 

 

 

20.27

 

Gross Margin % - Adjusted

 

 

9.7

%

 

 

9.7

%

 

 

11.0

%

 

 

12.0

%

 

 

13.7

%

 

 

15.3

%

 

 

15.8

%

 

 

15.9

%

 

 

15.4

%

 

 

16.6

%

 

 

16.6

%

 

 

16.1

%

 

 

14.9

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EBITDA - Adjusted

 

$

(0.7

)

 

$

(0.2

)

 

$

1.9

 

 

$

2.5

 

 

$

4.2

 

 

$

5.8

 

 

$

6.7

 

 

$

6.8

 

 

$

6.0

 

 

$

8.0

 

 

$

8.1

 

 

$

7.3

 

 

$

5.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact

Andrew D. C. LaFrence
Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Finance
alafrence@nortechsys.com
952-345-2243