UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 10-K
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 20212023
Commission file number 1-11398
CPI AEROSTRUCTURES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
New York | 11-2520310 |
(State or other jurisdiction of | |
incorporation or organization) | Identification No.) |
91 Heartland Blvd., Edgewood, New York 11717
(Address (Address of principal executive offices)
(631) 586-5200
(Registrant’s(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered |
Common Stock, $.001 par value | NYSE American |
Securities registered pursuant to 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 ☐ No ☒
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 ☐ No ☒
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 ☐ No ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (check one):Act.
Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | |||||
Smaller reporting company | ☒ | |||||
Emerging growth company | ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☒
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12-b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes ☐ No ☒
As of June 30, 20222023 (the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter), the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock (based on its reported last sale price on OTC PinkNYSE American on June 30, 20222023 of $)$3.89) held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $18,845,46946,445,647.
As of August 15, 2022,April 4, 2024, the registrant had shares of common stock, $.001 par value, outstanding.
Documents Incorporated by Reference:
None.Portions of the CPI Aerostructures, Inc. Proxy Statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K with respect to the registrant’s 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III hereof.
CPI AEROSTRUCTURES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
FORM 10-K
FORM 10-K
ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in future filings by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the words or phrases “believe”, “intend”, “plan”, “will”, “will likely result,” “management expects” orresult”, “we expect,” “could,”expect”, “could”, “will continue,” “anticipated,”continue”, “anticipated”, “estimated” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. ReadersThese statements are cautioned not guarantees of future performance and are subject to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, each of which speaks only as of the date made.risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that future developments will be those that have been anticipated. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements. Further, such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical earnings and those presently anticipated or projected. The risks are includedNumerous factors, including the risk factors described in “Item 1A: Risk Factors” included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.10-K, could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We haveassume no obligation to publicly release the result ofrevise or update any revisions, which may be made toforward looking statements for any reason except as required by law.
The forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-K speak only as of the date of its filing. Except where required by applicable law, we expressly disclaim a duty to reflect anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances occurringprovide updates to forward-looking statements after the date of such statements.this Form 10-K to reflect subsequent events, changed circumstances, changes in expectations, or the estimates and assumptions associated with them. The forward-looking statements in this Form 10-K are intended to be subject to the safe harbor protection provided by the federal securities laws.
You should read the financial information set forth below in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
During our review of the Company’s (defined below) deferred income tax positions as of December 31, 2023, we determined that, due to the inadequate review, assessment of and reporting of the Company’s temporary differences between book and taxable income, the Company’s December 31, 2022 deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities balances as previously reported by the Company in Note 11 “Income Taxes” of the Company’s financial statements which were included within the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, require restatement. The restatement of these balances has no impact to the Company’s previously reported net deferred tax asset on its December 31, 2022 balance sheet and no impact to the Company’s previously reported net income, earnings per share or cash flow for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022. The restatement of the aforementioned balances, as well as additional details regarding the restatement adjustments, appears in Note 11 “Income Taxes” of the Company’s financial statements included within this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Company management has determined that a material weakness exists in the Company’s internal controls relating to the review, assessment of and reporting of the Company’s temporary differences between book and taxable income and has included disclosure of this material weakness in Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting included in Part II Item 9A in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Except as described above and as amended in this Annual Report on From 10-K, we have not amended and do not intend to amend any of our previously filed Annual Reports on Form 10-K or Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
PART I
Item 1. BUSINESS
Item 1. | BUSINESS |
General
CPI Aerostructures, Inc., including its wholly owned subsidiary Welding Metallurgy, Inc. (“WMI”) and Compac Development Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of WMI (collectively, “CPI Aero”, the “Company”, “us”, or “we”) is a manufacturer of structural assemblies, integrated systems, and kitted components for the domestic and international aerospace and defense (“A&D”) markets. Our products are generally used by customers in the production of fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, electronic warfare (“EW”) systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (“ISR”) systems, missiles, and other sophisticated A&D products. We are primarily a Tier 1 supplier to Original Equipment Manufacturers (“OEMs”). We are also a Tier 2 supplier to larger Tier 1 manufacturers and a prime contractor to the United States (“U.S.”) Department of Defense (“DOD”), primarily the United States (“U.S.”) Air Force (“USAF”). Our products are used by OEMs within both commercial aerospace and national security markets. In addition to our assembly operations, we provide manufacturing engineering, program management, supply chain management, kitting, and maintenance repair and overhaul (“MRO”) services.
Our OEM customers in the defense sector include leading prime defense contractors such as:
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91% and 80% of our revenue in 2021 and 2020, respectively, was generated by subcontracts with defense prime contractors.
We have positioned our Company to take advantage of opportunities in the military aerospace market to a broad customer base, which we believe will reduce the potential impact of industry consolidation. Our success as a subcontractor to defense prime contractors has provided us with opportunities to act as a subcontractor to prime contractors in the production of commercial aircraft structures, which we believe will also reduce our exposure to defense industry consolidation, government spending decisions, and other defense industry risks.
Our OEM customers in the civil aviation market include:
6% and 10% of our revenue in 2021 and 2020, respectively, was generated by commercial contract sales.
CPI Aero also is a prime contractor to the DOD, primarily through contracts directly with the USAF and the Defense Logistics Agency (“DLA”), providing supply chain management, assembly & integration, and kitting services for the F-16 and T-38 Programs. 3% and 10% of our revenue in 2021 and 2020, respectively, were generated by direct government sales.
CPI Aero has over 4043 years of experience as a contractor. Our team possesses extensive technical expertise, program and programsupply chain management, and integration capabilities. Our competitive advantage lies in our ability to offer large contractor capabilities with the flexibility and responsiveness of a small company, while staying competitive in cost and delivering superior quality products.
We maintain a website located at www.cpiaero.com. Our corporate filings, including our Annual ReportReports on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our Current Reports on Form 8-K, our proxy statements and reports filed by our officers and directors under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and any amendments to those filings, are available, free of charge, on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. The contents of our website are not incorporated in or otherwise to be regarded as a part of this Annual Report on
Form 10-K.
History
Conceived and started as a technical consulting firm on January 11, 1980, within a few years, Composite Products International Inc. (“CPI”) was manufacturing aircraft structural components for U.S. military aircraft under contract to the U.S. Government. By the late 1980s, CPI was also providing structural components for civil aircraft in the commercial market.
In the 1990s, CPI became a publicly traded company and changed its name to CPI Aerostructures, Inc. (“CPI Aero”). The Company continued to grow, both in size and in its business. U.S. Government contracts served as the mainstay of CPI Aero’s business, and the Company continued to grow its presence in the commercial market as well. Commitment to customer satisfaction and pride in a job well done propelled CPI Aero to the forefront as a reputable and hardworking supplier to OEMs.
On September 5, 2000, CPI Aero shares were listed on the American Stock Exchange (now known as NYSE American). We also started to focus on diversifying our business model to pursue more commercial contracts. In 2007, the Company won three major contracts and experienced great growth and expansion.
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In 2018, CPI Aero acquired Welding Metallurgy Inc. This allowed for a small but strategically important amount of vertical integration in complex fusion welding and large diameter tube bending capability. The acquisition included Miller Stuart and Compac Development Corp., two other business lines that added fabrication of electrical cables, harnesses and enclosures to the Company’s capabilities.
Today, CPI Aero continues to engage in traditional high quality structural assembly manufacturing while incorporating the latest in technology to improve quality and streamline production. Our success is rooted in our core company values, the dedication and skill of our employees, and our commitment to providing our customers the full-service solution they require.
Products and Services
We offer design, engineering, manufacture, build, MRO services, and supply chain and kitting services capabilities to the A&D industry as follows:
● | Aerostructures: New Production and Repair/Overhaul of Fielded Wing Structures and other Control Surfaces, Rudder Island, Engine Inlets/Nacelles, Engine Exhaust Manifolds, Aircraft Doors and Windows, Aircraft Steps and Racks, and other Aircraft Secondary Structures |
● | Aerosystems: Airborne Pod Structures and Integration of Internal Systems, Radar Housing Structures, Panel Assemblies, Mechanical Door Locking Systems, and Canopy Lifting Systems |
● | Large Diameter Tube Bending: Complex Ducts and Tubes in Steel, Aluminum, Titanium, and Nickel Alloys |
● | Complex Specialty Welding: Fusion Welded Fluid Tanks and Resistance Welding (Spot and Seam) |
● | Electrical Cables, Harness, and Enclosures: Wire Harnesses, Power Control Systems, Fuel Management Systems, Power Distribution Systems, Fully Integrated Electrical Control Systems, and enclosures |
Engineering Services and Capabilities
As a build-to-print structural component manufacturer, CPI Aero’s engineering focus is on executing customer contracts through product realization, and to support collaborative design development using design for manufacturing and assembly (“DFMA”), geometric dimensioning & tolerancing (“GD&T”), and tooling concept support. Although not vertically integrated, CPI Aero has a deep well of experience on various types of detail part manufacturing that allows us to provide detailed design for manufacturing input during the design refinement process.
We have significant experience working in a full model-based definition environment, both CATIA and NX, due to our long sustainment support on older airframes. CPI Aero also possesses the capability to work with traditional blueprints, mylars and loft. The Company has executed several projects where older engineering data sets were “rehabilitated” to fully model-based datasets per customers’ requests.
CPI Aero is capable and has experience in designing many types of assembly type tools up to and including large floor mounted, articulated tooling at high levels of precision. We are also capable of designing various types of tooling that can be 3D printed for rapid response. Understanding our customers’ product performance needs and combining product GD&T layout and final tooling definitions and requirements helps us maximize product realization success.
Overall, CPI Aero’s engineering team is dedicated to providing our customers an experience where our activities are an extension of their business and complement their engineering goals.
Business Strategy
CPI Aero is committed to achieving revenue, gross profit margin, and earnings growth through the successful implementation of our business development strategy. CPI Aero’s future strategic direction is tied to aerostructures, aerosystems, supply chain, and kitting services, and a deeper market penetration of formerly acquired businesses in welding, tube bending, wire harnesses, and electronics. To accomplish this strategy, we are focused on executing on our current customer programs while pursuing new aerospace build-to-print opportunities - in both new production and MRO statements of work.
We believe that there has been a shift in the market for more build-to-print contracts by OEMs versus the recent past trend of design and build contracts. This trend fits in well with CPI Aero’s strengths. In addition, we expect to identify and close contracts for which we can provide more value added content to our customer (like integrating sub-assemblies into higher level Aerostructures and Aerosystems statements of work) and we intend to pursue statements of work that require proportionately higher CPI Aero value added content.
Another tenet of the CPI Aero business development strategy is portfolio reshaping of our existing business by identifying and closing long-term agreements or multi-year contracts, which provides an opportunity to firm-up supplier agreements and secure supplier capacity.
The final element of CPI Aero’s business development strategy is to build upon the Company’s existing customer relationships and to develop relationships with new customers. We intend to increase customer engagements by deploying our business development personnel to solidify existing customer relationships which have been established by performance excellence, transparency and trust over many years and multiple programs. We have also added additional resources to our business development function to cultivate new relationships with new customers.
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We will make sure each customer has the best possible buying experience, by ensuring we are a best value partner through the delivery of high quality products delivered on time. The CPI Aero team will always work in a collaborative way to meet customers’ needs and solve their problems.
The Market
We have positioned the Company to take advantage of opportunities in the military aerospace market to a broad customer base, thereby reducing the impact of direct government contracting limitations. Our success as a subcontractor to defense prime contractors has provided us with opportunities to also act as a subcontractor to prime contractors in the production of commercial aircraft structures.
Over time, our Company has expanded in both capabilities and size, as evidenced by our growth in our operational, global supply chain management, program management, and engineering capabilities, as well as the growth in our manufacturing shop floor size and equipment base. These expansions have provided us the ability to supply larger and more complex Aerostructures and Aerosystems products in support of our government-based programs as well as to pursue opportunities within the commercial and business jet markets. Our capabilities have also allowed us to obtain MRO, kitting, tube bending, welding, and electronics related contracts.
Competition
We face competition in our role as both a prime contractor to the U.S. Government and as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 subcontractor to military and commercial aircraft manufacturers. With respect to Aerostructures products, we often compete against much larger Tier 1 suppliers, such as Triumph Group, Spirit Aerosystems, Kaman Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, Ducommun, and LMI Aerospace. We believe that we can compete effectively with these larger companies by delivering products with the same level of quality and performance at a better value for our customer. With respect to Aerosystems products, such as our portfolio of EW and ISR integrated pod structures, we find more limited competition and are not aware of competition from any of the Aerostructures companies mentioned above. In these cases, we typically compete with the internal manufacturing arm of our customers. We believe our unique skills related to integrated pod structures combined with a very efficient and generally much lower cost structure create a competitive advantage for bidding on Aerosystems contracts.
For certain unrestricted contracts for the U.S. Government, we may compete against well-established prime contractors, including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing. All of these competitors possess significantly larger infrastructures, greater resources and the capabilities to respond to much larger contracts. We believe that our competitive advantage lies in our ability to offer large contractor capabilities with the flexibility and responsiveness of a small company, while staying competitive in cost and delivering superior quality products. While larger prime contractors compete for significant modification awards, they generally do not compete for awards in smaller modifications, spares and replacement parts, even for aircraft for which they are the original manufacturer. In certain instances, the large prime contractors often subcontract much of the work they win to their Tier 1 suppliers so we also may act as a subcontractor to them in these situations. Furthermore, in some cases these prime contractors are not permitted to bid, for example when the U.S. Government designates a contract as a Small Business Set-Aside. In these restricted contracts for the U.S. Government, CPI Aero typically competes against numerous small business competitors. We believe we compete effectively against the smaller competitors because of our 40 years of experience and expertise in responding to requests for proposals for government contracts.
Our Customers
Approximately $6.0 million and $6.1 million of our revenue for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, were from customers outside the U.S. All other revenue for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 has been attributable to customers within the U.S. We have no assets outside the U.S.
We have positioned our Company to take advantage of opportunities in the military aerospace market to a broad customer base, which we believe will reduce the potential impact of industry consolidation. Our success as a subcontractor to defense prime contractors has provided us with opportunities to also act as a subcontractor to prime contractors in the production of commercial aircraft structures, which we believe will also reduce our exposure to defense industry consolidation, government spending decisions, and other defense industry risks.
Our OEM customers in the defense sector include leading prime defense contractors such as:
● | Lockheed Martin Corporation - we provide products used in the production of Lockheed Martin Corporation’s (“Lockheed Martin”) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and an international variant of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. We also provide structural assemblies to Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (“Sikorsky”), for many of their military helicopter platforms including the UH-60 BLACK HAWK©, CH-53E and CH-53K, and a special purpose helicopter; |
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● | RTX Corporation, formerly Raytheon Technologies – we provide products to two business divisions of RTX Corporation: Raytheon (Next Generation Jammer – Mid-Band pod, Advanced Tactical Pods, Intelligence, Surveillance and Airborne Reconnaissance Pods, Missile Wings and Components, and Radar Racks) and Collins Aerospace (RF Enclosures); |
● | The Boeing Company - we provide critical wing structure for The Boeing Company’s (“Boeing”) A-10 re-wing program and welded structures for the CH-47 Chinook helicopter; and |
● | Northrop Grumman Corporation – we provide structural components and kits for the Northrop Grumman Corporation (“NGC”) E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, various integrated radar and laser pod structures, welded tubes, and welded fluid tanks for a classified program. |
81% and 82% of our revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively, was generated by subcontracts with defense prime contractors.
Our OEM customers in the civil aviation market include:
● | Embraer S.A. Executive Jets – we provide engine inlet assemblies for Embraer S.A.’s (“Embraer”) Phenom 300 business jet. |
5% and 7% of our revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively, was generated by commercial contract sales.
CPI Aero also is a prime contractor to the DOD, primarily through contracts directly with the USAF and the Defense Logistics Agency (“DLA”), providing supply chain management, assembly & integration, and kitting services for the F-16 and T-38 programs. 14% and 10% of our revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively, were generated by direct government sales.
Significant Contracts
Our most significant contracts are described below:
Military Aircraft – Subcontracts with Prime Contractors
NGC E-2D Advanced Hawkeye:The NGC E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is an all-weather, carrier-based tactical Airborne Early Warning aircraft. The twin turboprop aircraft was designed and developed in the 1950s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the U.S. Navy. The U.S. Navy aircraft has been progressively updated with the latest variant, the E-2D, first flying in 2007. In 2008, we received an initial $7.9 million order from NGC to provide structural kits used in the production of Outer Wing Panels (“OWP”) of the E-2D. We initially valued the long-term agreement at approximately $98 million over an eight-year period, with the potential to be in excess of $195 million over the life of the aircraft program. In February of 2019, we announced a new multi-year award valued at up to approximately $47.5 million. In June 2020, we announced that we had received firm orders valued in excess of $43 million and $5 million in long-lead funding in anticipation of purchase orders for OWP structural components and kits. Since 2008, the cumulative orders we have received on this program through December 31, 2021 exceed $227 million.
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In addition, in 2015 we won an award to supply structural components and kits for the Wet Outer Wing Panel (“WOWP”) on the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (“AEW&C”) aircraft that will be manufactured for the Japan Air Self Defense Force (“JASDF”). We are responsible for component source selection, supply chain management, delivery of kits, and are providing manufacturing engineering services to NGC during the integration of the components into the WOWP. In late 2019, CPI Aero received additional WOWP kit requirements increasing the total expected value of the WOWP program for JASDF to be in excess of $37 million.
In February 2020, the Company’s subsidiary WMI received from NGC approximately $4 million in purchase orders to provide numerous welded structure and tubes for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. Under the terms of the purchase orders, WMI will manufacture more than 140 different items in support of the production of at least 25 E-2D aircraft. The period of performance is expected to be through 2022 with strong potential for follow-on orders.
Raytheon ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer – Mid-Band Pod (“NGJ-MB”): The Raytheon NGJ-MB pod is an external jamming pod that will disrupt and degrade enemy aircraft and ground radar and communication systems and will replace the ALQ-99 system on the U.S. Navy’s EA-6B Growler carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft. The U.S. Navy plans to install these pods on 139 EA-18G Growlers during the production phase. There are also 11 EA-18Gs operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. There are two pods per aircraft. Raytheon received a $1 billion sole source contract from the U.S. Navy in April 2016, and CPI Aero has a contract with Raytheon to assemble the pod structural housing and air management system (“AMS”) and integrate some Customer Furnished Equipment. In 2019, Raytheon authorized CPI Aero to begin production of pod structures and air management system components for the System Demonstration and Test Article (“SDTA”) phase of the NGJ-MB program. All SDTA pods and AMS components are expected to complete shipping during the first quarter of 2022. CPI Aero estimates the value of the NGJ-MB program through the SDTA phase to be approximately $60 million. On November 16, 2021 the Company announced it was authorized by Raytheon to start the production phase of the program. We believe that the total value of the NGJ-MB program through production will be in excess of $210 million through 2030.
A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog”: The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog, is a twin-engine aircraft that provides close-air support of ground forces and employs a wide variety of conventional munitions including general-purpose bombs. The simple, effective and survivable single-seat aircraft can be used against all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles. On August 21, 2019, Boeing announced it had received an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (“IDIQ”) contract award from the USAF with a maximum contract value of $999 million to manage the production of up to 112 new wing sets and spares kits for A-10 aircraft, and the USAF ordered 27 wing sets from Boeing immediately at contract award. In 2019, CPI Aero announced the receipt of an IDIQ contract with a maximum ceiling value of $48 million from Boeing for structural assemblies for the A-10. Under the terms of the IDIQ contract, CPI Aero will manufacture major structural subassemblies of the A-10 aircraft’s wing. The Company also announced that it has received initial purchase orders under the IDIQ contract valued at approximately $6 million for the production of four shipsets of assemblies and associated program start-up costs. In May 2020, CPI Aero announced the receipt of additional purchase orders totaling approximately $14 million from Boeing.
F-35 Lightning II: The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fighter aircraft that provides unmatched multi-role capability, survivability, and connectivity with data sharing capabilities essential for Joint All Domain Operations. Current DOD plans call for acquiring a total of 2,456 F-35s. Allies are expected to purchase hundreds of additional F-35s, with eight nations cost-sharing partners in the program with the United States and six other allied nations purchasing the F-35 via Foreign Military Sales agreements with the DOD. The Company has two significant contracts for products used on the F-35. In 2015, CPI Aero was awarded a multi-year contract to supply four different lock assemblies for the arresting gear door on the F-35C Carrier Take Off and Landing variant. CPI Aero made its first delivery under that contract in May 2017. In 2018, the Company received a new long-term agreement value at approximately $8 million for lock assemblies to be delivered between 2020 and 2024. In November 2017, CPI Aero was awarded an additional $15.8 million multi-year contract to manufacture canopy activation drive shaft assemblies for the F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C aircraft.
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UH-60 “BLACK HAWK”: The Sikorsky UH-60 BLACK HAWK helicopter is the leader in multi-mission rotary wing aircraft. Among the mission configurations its serves are troop transport, medical evacuation, electronic warfare, attack, assault support and special operations. More than 3,000 BLACK HAWK helicopters are in use today, operating in 29 countries. CPI Aero and its WMI subsidiary manufacture several different structural assemblies, including welded structure, for the BLACK HAWK helicopter. The majority of CPI Aero’s contracts for the BLACK HAWK are as a Tier 1 supplier to Sikorsky. The Company also is a Tier 2 supplier to GKN Aerospace for ultimate use on the BLACK HAWK. In 2017, CPI Aero received an approximate $21 million long-term agreement through 2022 for the production of fuel panel assemblies, work it has performed for Sikorsky since 2010. Also in 2017, the Company received an $8 million long-term agreement through 2022 to manufacture machine gunner window assemblies, continuing work it has performed since 2010. A third five-year LTA was awarded in January 2022 estimated at $13.6 million with a period of performance from 2023-2027. Since October 2018, CPI Aero has received multiple purchase orders totaling $22 million for Hover Infrared Suppression System (“HIRSS”) module assemblies for use as spares on older variants of the UH-60 BLACK HAWK helicopter. The HIRSS is a defensive countermeasures system that is integral to the survival of the UH-60 Black Hawk by reducing the opportunity for an infrared-seeking threat system to acquire, lock onto, track, and destroy the helicopter. In May 2021, the Company announced receiving a multi-year contract valued at up to $17.2 million for the repair and overhaul of outboard stabilator assemblies in support of the Sikorsky MH-60 SEAHAWK.
F-16V Fighting Falcon: The Lockheed Martin F-16 is the world’s most successful, combat-proven multirole fighter. Approximately 3,000 operational F-16s are in service today in 25 countries. The F-16V is a new variant, sold exclusively to international air forces and is the most technologically advanced, fourth generation fighter in the world. In 2019, the Company announced it had been awarded a multi-year contract by Lockheed Martin to manufacture Rudder Island and Drag Chute Canister (“RI/DCC”) assemblies for the F-16V. The RI/DCC is a large structural sub-assembly that is installed on the tail section of the aircraft. Deliveries are expected to begin during late 2020 and continue through 2024. In June 2020, the Company announced that it had been awarded a follow-on order from Lockheed Martin to manufacture structural assemblies for new production F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft. The total value of the RI/DCC program is approximately $21 million and we have received more than $20.6 million in orders through December 31, 2021. Given the strength of Lockheed’s International Sales Forecast for the F-16, a follow-on to the existing contracted orders is possible.
CH-53K King Stallion: The CH-53K is a heavy-lift helicopter being developed by Sikorsky for the U.S. Marine Corps. We manufacture composite electronics racks as a Tier 2 supplier to Spirit AeroSystems, Inc., the manufacturer of the CH-53K cockpit and cabin. Through December 31, 2021, we had received orders valued at more than $3.6 million.
Undisclosed Vehicle: In 2018 the Company received an initial purchase order from Raytheon Missile Systems Company, a subsidiary of Raytheon, to manufacture structural assemblies on an undisclosed vehicle. In 2019, CPI Aero completed the initial order and in January 2021, CPI Aero announced a subsequent purchase order to manufacture additional units. The undisclosed vehicle is currently under development. Terms of the order will not be disclosed.
Undisclosed Pod Structure: In 2019, the Company received an initial purchase order from Raytheon to manufacture pod structures for an undisclosed application. The value of the order was approximately $2.3 million for manufacturing engineering service, development of assembly tooling and the production of the prototypes. The undisclosed pod structure is currently under development. In October 2021, the Company announced Raytheon awarded an approximate $6 million contract modification that changes the scope of work the Company would perform and increases the quantity of pods to be produced.
Military Aircraft – Prime Contracts with U.S. Government
F-16 “Fighting Falcon”: Since 2014, we have been a prime contractor to the DLA to provide structural wing components and logistical support for global F-16 aircraft MRO operations. Through December 31, 2021 we have received almost $15 million in orders on this program.
T-38 Pacer Classic III, Phase 2: For more than 50 years, the Northrop T-38 has been the principal supersonic jet trainer used by the USAF. The T-38C Pacer Classic III Fuselage Structural Modification Kit Integration program (“PC III”) and the Talon Repair Inspection and Maintenance (“TRIM”) programs are expected to increase the structural service life of the T-38 beyond 2030. In 2015, CPI Aero was awarded Phase 2 of PC III and has received purchase orders valued at approximately $2 million from the USAF to provide structural modification kits for the PC III aircraft structural modification program. Through December 2021, we have received $23.2 million in orders on this program.
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T-38 Pacer Classic III, Phase 3 and TRIM: In July 2019, the Company announced a new $65.7 million IDIQ contract from the USAF for the final phase of PC III as well as TRIM. The TRIM program is a separate USAF structural modification effort that will extend the structural service life of T-38A and T-38 model types, as well as T-38C models that were not modified during PC III. Through December 31 2020, the Company had received orders valued at approximately $15.3 million for the PC III, Phase 3 and TRIM programs, and in 2021, the Company announced it had received three separate orders for additional requirements valued at approximately $16.2 million, bringing total orders under this long term contract to approximately $31.5 million.
Commercial Aircraft – Subcontracts with Prime Contractors
G650/G650ER/G700: The Gulfstream G650 is a twin-engine business jet airplane produced by Gulfstream Aerospace that can be configured to carry from 11 to 18 passengers. Gulfstream began the G650 program in 2005 and revealed it to the public in 2008. The G650 is Gulfstream’s largest and fastest business jet. The G650ER is an extended range version of the aircraft. In 2020, Gulfstream announced the launch of a new derivative the G700. In March 2008, Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. awarded us a contract to provide fixed leading edges for the Gulfstream G650 business jet, and derivative models, a commercial program that Spirit was supporting. In December 2014, Spirit transferred its work-scope on this program to Triumph Group. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in May 2020, Triumph Group cancelled nearly all open orders with the Company. On May 27, 2020, Triumph Group announced it had reached an agreement in principle to sell the G650 wing program to Gulfstream Aerospace, and on June 12, 2020, we received a joint communication from Gulfstream Aerospace and Triumph Group that stated Gulfstream’s intention to continue to purchase G650 wing components from the Company. In December 2020, we received purchase orders directly from Gulfstream for wing components for use on the G650, G650ER and/or G700 aircraft. We expect this work to continue through 2022.
Phenom 300: The Phenom 300 is a twin-engine, executive jet produced by Brazilian aircraft company Embraer, S.A. that can carry between six and 10 passengers and a crew of two. We have been producing engine inlet assemblies for Embraer under a long-term agreement we entered into in 2012. We have received approximately $40.3 million in orders on this program through December 31 2021. We estimate the potential value of the program to be in excess of $52 million.
Sales and MarketingMarket
We are recognizedhave positioned the Company to take advantage of opportunities in the military aerospace market to a broad customer base, thereby reducing the impact of direct government contracting limitations. Our success as a subcontractor to defense prime contractors has provided us with opportunities to also act as a subcontractor to prime contractors in the production of commercial aircraft structures.
Over time, our Company has expanded in both capabilities and size, as evidenced by our growth in our operational, global supply chain management, program management, and engineering capabilities, as well as the growth in our manufacturing shop floor size and equipment base. These expansions have provided us the ability to supply larger and more complex Aerostructures and Aerosystems products in support of our government-based programs as well as to pursue opportunities within the aerospace industrycommercial and business jet markets. Our capabilities have also allowed us to obtain MRO, kitting, tube bending, welding, and electronics related contracts.
Competition
We face competition in our role as both a prime contractor to the U.S. Government and as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 suppliersubcontractor to majormilitary and commercial aircraft suppliers. Additionally,manufacturers. With respect to Aerostructures products, we often compete against much larger Tier 1 suppliers, such as Triumph Group, Spirit Aerosystems, Kaman Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, Ducommun, and LMI Aerospace. We believe that we can compete effectively with these larger companies by delivering products with the same level of quality and performance at a better value for our customer. With respect to Aerosystems products, such as our portfolio of EW and ISR integrated pod structures, we find more limited competition and are not aware of competition from any of the Aerostructures companies mentioned above. In these cases, we typically compete with the internal manufacturing arm of our customers. We believe our unique skills related to integrated pod structures combined with a very efficient and generally much lower cost structure create a competitive advantage for bidding on Aerosystems contracts.
For certain unrestricted contracts for the U.S. Government, we may compete against well-established prime contractors, including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing. All of these competitors possess significantly larger infrastructures, greater resources and the capabilities to respond to much larger contracts. We believe that our competitive advantage lies in our ability to offer large contractor capabilities with the flexibility and responsiveness of a small company, while staying competitive in cost and delivering superior quality products. While larger prime contractors compete for significant modification awards, they generally do not compete for awards in smaller modifications, spares and replacement parts, even for aircraft for which they are the original manufacturer. In certain instances, the large prime contractors often subcontract much of the work they win to their Tier 1 suppliers so we also may act as a subcontractor to them in these situations. Furthermore, in some cases these prime contractors are not permitted to bid, for militaryexample when the U.S. Government designates a contract as a Small Business Set-Aside. In these restricted contracts set aside specifically for the U.S. Government, CPI Aero typically competes against numerous small businesses.business competitors. We believe we compete effectively against the smaller competitors because of our 40 years of experience and expertise in responding to requests for proposals for government contracts.
Our Customers
Approximately $6.0 million and $6.1 million of our revenue for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, were from customers outside the U.S. All other revenue for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 has been attributable to customers within the U.S. We have no assets outside the U.S.
We are generally awarded initial contracts forhave positioned our products and services throughCompany to take advantage of opportunities in the process of competitive bidding. This process begins when we first learn, formally or otherwise, of a potential contract from a prospective customer and concludes after all negotiations are completed upon award. When preparing our responsemilitary aerospace market to a prospectivebroad customer forbase, which we believe will reduce the potential impact of industry consolidation. Our success as a potential contract,subcontractor to defense prime contractors has provided us with opportunities to also act as a subcontractor to prime contractors in the production of commercial aircraft structures, which we evaluate the contract requirementsbelieve will also reduce our exposure to defense industry consolidation, government spending decisions, and determine and outline the services and products we can provide to fulfill the contract at a competitive price.
Many times for ourother defense programs, after the initial contract, subsequent follow-on contracts are awarded on a sole-source basis, subject to cost-justification and direct negotiation with our customer and in some cases, the federal government.industry risks.
Our average sales cycle, which generally commences atOEM customers in the time a prospective customer issues a request for proposal and ends upon delivery of the final product to the customer, varies widely.defense sector include leading prime defense contractors such as:
Because of the complexities inherent in the aerospace industry, the time from the initial request for proposal to award ranges from as little as a few weeks to several years. Additionally, our contracts have ranged from six months to as long as 10 years. Also, repeat and follow-on jobs for current contracts frequently provide additional opportunities with minimal start-up costs and rapid rates to production.
● | Lockheed Martin Corporation - we provide products used in the production of Lockheed Martin Corporation’s (“Lockheed Martin”) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and an international variant of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. We also provide structural assemblies to Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (“Sikorsky”), for many of their military helicopter platforms including the UH-60 BLACK HAWK©, CH-53E and CH-53K, and a special purpose helicopter; |
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● | RTX Corporation, formerly Raytheon Technologies – we provide products to two business divisions of RTX Corporation: Raytheon (Next Generation Jammer – Mid-Band pod, Advanced Tactical Pods, Intelligence, Surveillance and Airborne Reconnaissance Pods, Missile Wings and Components, and Radar Racks) and Collins Aerospace (RF Enclosures); |
● | The Boeing Company - we provide critical wing structure for The Boeing Company’s (“Boeing”) A-10 re-wing program and welded structures for the CH-47 Chinook helicopter; and |
● | Northrop Grumman Corporation – we provide structural components and kits for the Northrop Grumman Corporation (“NGC”) E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, various integrated radar and laser pod structures, welded tubes, and welded fluid tanks for a classified program. |
81% and 82% of our revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively, was generated by subcontracts with defense prime contractors.
Our OEM customers in the civil aviation market include:
● | Embraer S.A. Executive Jets – we provide engine inlet assemblies for Embraer S.A.’s (“Embraer”) Phenom 300 business jet. |
5% and 7% of our revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively, was generated by commercial contract sales.
CPI Aero also is a prime contractor to the DOD, primarily through contracts directly with the USAF and the Defense Logistics Agency (“DLA”), providing supply chain management, assembly & integration, and kitting services for the F-16 and T-38 programs. 14% and 10% of our revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively, were generated by direct government sales.
The Market
We have positioned ourthe Company to take advantage of opportunities in the military aerospace market to a broad customer base, thereby reducing the impact of direct government contracting limitations. Our success as a subcontractor to defense prime contractors has provided us with opportunities to also act as a subcontractor to prime contractors in the production of commercial aircraft structures, which also reduced our exposure to government spending decisions.structures.
Over time, our Company has expanded in both capabilities and size, and capabilities, withas evidenced by our growth in our operational, and global supply chain management, program management.management, and engineering capabilities, as well as the growth in our manufacturing shop floor size and equipment base. These expansions have allowedprovided us the ability to supply larger and more complex aerostructure assembliesAerostructures and aerosystems and structuresAerosystems products in support of our government-based programs as well as to pursue opportunities within the commercial and business jet markets. Our capabilities have also allowed us to acquireobtain MRO, kitting, tube bending, welding, and kittingelectronics related contracts.
Competition
We face competition in our role as both a prime contractor to the U.S. Government and as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 subcontractor to military and commercial aircraft manufacturers. With respect to Aerostructures products, we often compete against much larger Tier 1 suppliers, such as Triumph Group, Spirit Aerosystems, Kaman Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, Ducommun, and LMI Aerospace. We believe that we can compete effectively with these larger companies by delivering products with the same level of quality and performance at a better value for our customer. With respect to Aerosystems products, such as our portfolio of EW and ISR integrated pod structures, we find more limited competition and are not aware of competition from any of the Aerostructures companies mentioned above. In these cases, we typically compete with the internal manufacturing arm of our customers. We believe our unique skills related to integrated pod structures combined with a very efficient and generally much lower cost structure create a competitive advantage for bidding on Aerosystems contracts.
For certain unrestricted contracts for the U.S. Government, we may compete against well-established prime contractors, including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing. All of these competitors possess significantly larger infrastructures, greater resources and the capabilities to respond to much larger contracts. We believe that our competitive advantage lies in our ability to offer large contractor capabilities with the flexibility and responsiveness of a small company, while staying competitive in cost and delivering superior quality products. While larger prime contractors compete for significant modification awards, they generally do not compete for awards in smaller modifications, spares and replacement parts, even for aircraft for which they are the original manufacturer. In certain instances, the large prime contractors often subcontract much of the work they win to their Tier 1 suppliers so we also may act as a subcontractor to them in these situations. Furthermore, in some cases these prime contractors are not permitted to bid, for example when the U.S. Government designates a contract as a Small Business Set-Aside. In these restricted contracts for the U.S. Government, CPI Aero typically competes against numerous small business competitors. We believe we compete effectively against the smaller competitors because of our 40 years of experience and expertise in responding to requests for proposals for government contracts.
Our Customers
Approximately $4.7$6.0 million and $2.9$6.1 million of our revenue for the years ended December 31, 20212023 and 2020,2022, respectively, were from customers outside the U.S. All other revenue for the years ended December 31, 20212023 and 20202022 has been attributable to customers within the U.S. We have no assets outside the U.S.
Government-basedWe have positioned our Company to take advantage of opportunities in the military aerospace market to a broad customer base, which we believe will reduce the potential impact of industry consolidation. Our success as a subcontractor to defense prime contractors has provided us with opportunities to also act as a subcontractor to prime contractors in the production of commercial aircraft structures, which we believe will also reduce our exposure to defense industry consolidation, government spending decisions, and other defense industry risks.
Our OEM customers in the defense sector include leading prime defense contractors such as:
● | Lockheed Martin Corporation - we provide products used in the production of Lockheed Martin Corporation’s (“Lockheed Martin”) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and an international variant of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. We also provide structural assemblies to Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (“Sikorsky”), for many of their military helicopter platforms including the UH-60 BLACK HAWK©, CH-53E and CH-53K, and a special purpose helicopter; |
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● | RTX Corporation, formerly Raytheon Technologies – we provide products to two business divisions of RTX Corporation: Raytheon (Next Generation Jammer – Mid-Band pod, Advanced Tactical Pods, Intelligence, Surveillance and Airborne Reconnaissance Pods, Missile Wings and Components, and Radar Racks) and Collins Aerospace (RF Enclosures); |
● | The Boeing Company - we provide critical wing structure for The Boeing Company’s (“Boeing”) A-10 re-wing program and welded structures for the CH-47 Chinook helicopter; and |
● | Northrop Grumman Corporation – we provide structural components and kits for the Northrop Grumman Corporation (“NGC”) E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, various integrated radar and laser pod structures, welded tubes, and welded fluid tanks for a classified program. |
81% and 82% of our revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively, was generated by subcontracts with defense prime contractors.
Our OEM customers in the civil aviation market include:
● | Embraer S.A. Executive Jets – we provide engine inlet assemblies for Embraer S.A.’s (“Embraer”) Phenom 300 business jet. |
5% and 7% of our revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively, was generated by commercial contract sales.
CPI Aero also is a prime contractor to the DOD, primarily through contracts directly with the USAF and the Defense Logistics Agency (“DLA”), providing supply chain management, assembly & integration, and kitting services for the F-16 and T-38 programs. 14% and 10% of our revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively, were generated by direct government sales.
Significant Contracts
Our most significant contracts are subjectdescribed below:
Military Aircraft – Subcontracts with Prime Contractors
E-2D Advanced Hawkeye: The NGC E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is an all-weather, carrier-based tactical Airborne Early Warning aircraft. The twin turboprop aircraft was designed and developed in the 1950s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the U.S. Navy. The U.S. Navy aircraft has been progressively updated with the latest variant, the E-2D, first flying in 2007. In 2008, we received an initial $7.9 million order from NGC to national defense budgetprovide structural kits used in the production of Outer Wing Panels (“OWP”) of the E-2D. We initially valued the long-term agreement at approximately $98 million over an eight-year period, with the potential to be in excess of $195 million over the life of the aircraft program. In February of 2019, we announced a new multi-year award valued at up to approximately $47.5 million. In June 2020, we announced that we had received firm orders valued in excess of $43 million and procurement$5 million in long-lead funding decisionsin anticipation of purchase orders for OWP structural components and kits. In 2021, we received additional orders valued at approximately $11 million. Since 2008, the cumulative orders we have received on this program through December 31, 2023 exceed $209 million. We anticipate shipping against these orders into 2025.
In addition, in 2015 we won an award to supply structural components and kits for the Wet Outer Wing Panel (“WOWP”) on the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (“AEW&C”) aircraft that accordingly,will be manufactured for the Japan Air Self Defense Force (“JASDF”). We are responsible for component source selection, supply chain management, delivery of kits, and providing manufacturing engineering services to NGC during the integration of the components into the WOWP E-2D. In late 2019, CPI Aero received additional WOWP kit requirements increasing the total value of this program for the JASDF to be in excess of $20 million. CPI completed deliveries in support of this contract in 2023.
In February 2020, the Company’s subsidiary WMI received approximately $4 million in purchase orders from NGC to produce numerous welded structures and tubes for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. Under the terms of the purchase orders, WMI manufactured more than 140 different items in support of the production of at least 25 E-2D aircraft. CPI received follow-on orders for additional quantities of welded products in 2023 and anticipates additional orders in 2024.
ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer – Mid-Band Pod (“NGJ-MB”): The Raytheon NGJ-MB pod is an external jamming pod that will disrupt and degrade enemy aircraft and ground radar and communication systems, and will replace the ALQ-99 system on the U.S. Navy’s EA-6B Growler carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft. The U.S. Navy plans to install these pods on 139 EA-18G Growlers during the production phase. There are two pods per aircraft. There are also 11 EA-18Gs operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. Raytheon received a $1 billion sole source contract from the U.S. Navy in April 2016, and CPI Aero has a contract with Raytheon to assemble the pod structural housing and air management system (“AMS”) and integrate customer furnished equipment. In 2019, Raytheon authorized CPI Aero to begin production of pod structures and AMS components for the System Demonstration and Test Article (“SDTA”) phase of the NGJ-MB program. All SDTA pods and AMS components orders received were valued in excess of $60 million and completed delivery as of December 31, 2022.
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On November 16, 2021 the Company announced it was authorized by Raytheon to start the production phase of the program. The Company was awarded low rate production (“LRIP”) I and II orders valued at approximately $18.5 million. LRIP III, for which the Company was awarded an order of approximately $14.0 million in October 2022, and later definitized at $32.5 million. In November 2023, RTX issued a Memorandum for Record for Lot4 with an anticipated Program Value of $32 million and an initial funding limit of $16 million. We believe that the total value of the NGJ-MB program through production will be in excess of $210 million through 2030.
A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog”: The Boeing A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog, is a twin-engine aircraft that provides close-air support of ground forces and employs a wide variety of conventional munitions including general-purpose bombs. This simple, effective and survivable single-seat aircraft can be used against all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles. On August 21, 2019, Boeing announced that it had received an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (“IDIQ”) contract award from the USAF with a maximum contract value of $999 million to manage the production of up to 112 new wing sets and spares kits for A-10 aircraft, and the USAF ordered 27 wing sets from Boeing immediately at contract award. In 2019, CPI Aero announced the receipt of an IDIQ contract with a maximum ceiling value of $48 million from Boeing for structural assemblies for the A-10. Under the terms of the IDIQ contract, CPI Aero will manufacture major structural subassemblies of the A-10 aircraft’s wing. The Company also announced that it had received initial purchase orders under the IDIQ contract valued at approximately $6 million for the production of four shipsets of assemblies and associated program start-up costs. In May 2020, CPI Aero announced the receipt of additional purchase orders totaling approximately $14 million from Boeing. In March of 2022, CPI Aero announced the receipt of additional purchase orders totaling approximately $3.2 million, bringing the total purchase orders received to $23.4 million.
F-35 Lightning II: The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fighter aircraft that provides unmatched multi-role capability, survivability, and connectivity with data sharing capabilities essential for joint all-domain operations. Current DOD plans call for acquiring a total of 2,456 F-35s. U.S. allies are expected to purchase hundreds of additional F-35s, with eight nations participating as cost-sharing partners in the program with the United States, and six other nations allied with the U.S. purchasing the F-35 via foreign military sales agreements with the DOD. In 2015, CPI Aero was awarded a multi-year contract to supply four different lock assemblies for the arresting gear door on the F-35C Carrier Take Off and Landing variant. CPI Aero made its first delivery under that contract in May 2017. In 2018, the Company received a new long-term agreement valued at approximately $8 million for lock assemblies to be delivered between 2020 and 2024. In November 2017, CPI Aero was awarded an additional $15.8 million multi-year contract to manufacture canopy activation drive demandshaft assemblies for our businessthe F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C variants.
UH-60 “BLACK HAWK”: The Sikorsky UH-60 BLACK HAWK helicopter is the leader in multi-mission rotary wing aircraft. Among the mission configurations it serves are troop transport, medical evacuation, electronic warfare, attack, assault support, and special operations. More than 4,000 BLACK HAWK helicopters are in use today, operating in 29 countries. CPI Aero manufactures several different structural assemblies, including welded structure for the BLACK HAWK. The majority of CPI Aero’s contracts for the BLACK HAWK are as a Tier 1 supplier to Sikorsky. The Company also is a Tier 2 supplier to GKN Aerospace for products ultimately used on the BLACK HAWK. In 2017, CPI Aero received an approximately $21 million long-term agreement through 2022 for the production of fuel panel assemblies, work it has performed for Sikorsky since 2010. Also in 2017, the Company received an $8 million long-term agreement through 2022 to manufacture machine gunner window assemblies for the BLACK HAWK, continuing work it has performed since 2010. A third five-year long-term agreement was awarded in January 2022, also for gunner window assemblies, estimated at $13.6 million with a period of performance from 2023-2027. Also, since October 2018, CPI Aero has received multiple purchase orders totaling $22 million for hover infrared suppression system (“HIRSS”) module assemblies for use as spares on older variants of the BLACK HAWK. The HIRSS is a defensive countermeasures system that market.is integral to the survival of the BLACK HAWK by reducing the opportunity for an infrared-seeking threat system to acquire, lock onto, track, and destroy the aircraft. Finally, in May 2021, the Company announced receiving a multi-year contract valued at up to $17.2 million for the repair and overhaul of outboard stabilator assemblies in support of the Sikorsky MH-60 SEAHAWK.
F-16V Fighting Falcon: The Lockheed Martin F-16 is the world’s most successful, combat-proven multirole fighter. Approximately 3,000 operational F-16s are in service today in 25 countries. The F-16V is a new variant, sold exclusively to international air forces and is the most technologically advanced fourth generation fighter in the world. In 2019, the Company announced it had been awarded a multi-year contract by Lockheed Martin to manufacture rudder island and drag chute canister (“RI/DCC”) assemblies for the F-16V. The RI/DCC is a large structural sub-assembly that is installed on the tail section of the aircraft. Deliveries began in 2021 and will continue through 2024. In June 2020, the Company announced that it had been awarded an order from Lockheed Martin as part of the previously announced multi-year contract to manufacture RI/DCC assemblies for new production F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft, in March 2021 the Company announced that it had received an additional order for these assemblies for $9.2 million and in November 2022, the Company announced another follow-on order for these assemblies for $4 million. On August 28, 2023 CPI announced the receipt of a 2nd Multiyear long-term agreement with not-to-exceed funding of $34.4M. The total value of the RI/DCC program, including both multi-year contracts is approximately $59.3 million.
CH-53K King Stallion: The CH-53K is a heavy-lift helicopter being developed by Sikorsky for the U.S. Marine Corps. We manufacture composite electronics racks as a Tier 2 supplier to Spirit AeroSystems, Inc., the manufacturer of the CH-53K cockpit and cabin. Through December 31, 2023, we had received orders valued at more than $2.7 million from Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
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In addition, the Company also manufactures welded tubes for the CH-53K as a Tier 1 supplier to Sikorsky. In August 2023, CPI received a Long-term Agreement with a ceiling price of $17.4 million and a funding limit of $7.3 million. These tubes will be required for the multi-year on this program. A component of this statement of work also includes CPI Aero intellectual property.
Undisclosed Pod Structure: In 2019, the Company received an initial purchase order from Raytheon to manufacture pod structures for an undisclosed application. The value of the order was approximately $2.3 million for manufacturing engineering services, development of assembly tooling, and the production of the prototypes. The undisclosed pod structure is currently under development. In October 2021, the Company announced that Raytheon awarded the Company an approximately $6.1 million contract modification that changes the scope of work the Company would perform and increases the quantity of pods to be produced. The program value as of December 31, 2023 was $8.4 million.
Undisclosed Vehicle: In 2018, the Company started production of a welded tank for NGC for an undisclosed application on an undisclosed platform. The total value of orders received as of December 31, 2023 is $3.2 million.
B-52 Radar Rack: In late 2021, the Company received an initial purchase order from Raytheon to manufacture radar rack structures for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program. The value of the order was approximately $4.0 million for manufacturing engineering services, development of assembly tooling, and the production of the initial units. The non-recurring and tooling phase of the program was completed and the initial 11 racks will be delivered in 2024.
Military Aircraft – Prime Contracts with U.S. Government spending
T-38 Pacer Classic III, Phase 2: For more than 50 years, the NGC T-38 has been the principal supersonic jet trainer used by the USAF. The T-38C Pacer Classic III Fuselage Structural Modification Kit Integration program (“PC III”) and budgetingthe Talon Repair Inspection and Maintenance (“TRIM”) program are expected to increase the structural service life of the T-38 beyond 2030. In 2015, CPI Aero was awarded Phase 2 of PC III and has received purchase orders valued at approximately $2.0 million from the USAF to provide structural modification kits for procurement, operationsthe PC III aircraft structural modification program.
T-38 Pacer Classic III, Phase 3 and maintenance are affected not only by military action, but alsoTRIM: In July 2019, the related fiscal consequencesCompany announced a new $65.7 million IDIQ contract from the USAF for the final phase of these actions,PC III as well as TRIM. The TRIM program is a separate USAF structural modification effort that will extend the political process.structural service life of T-38A and T-38 model types, as well as T-38C models that were not modified during PC III. Through December 31, 2020, the Company had received orders valued at approximately $15.3 million for the PC III, Phase 3 and TRIM programs, and in 2021, the Company announced it had received three separate orders for additional requirements valued at approximately $16.2 million. Through December 2023, CPI has received funded orders under this long term agreement totaling $48.3 million.
Commercial Aircraft – Subcontracts with Prime Contractors
Embraer Phenom 300: The Phenom 300 is a twin-engine, executive jet produced by Brazilian aircraft company Embraer that can carry between six and ten passengers and a crew of two. We have been producing engine inlet assemblies for Embraer under a long-term agreement we entered into in 2012. In January 2024, we celebrated the delivery of the 800th Shipset of Inlets. In 2023, we received funded orders totaling $4.4 million.
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Backlog
We produce custom assemblies pursuant to long-term contracts and customer purchase orders. Funded backlog consists of aggregate funded values under such contracts and purchase orders, excluding the portion previously included in operating revenues pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606 (“ASC606”ASC 606”). Unfunded backlog is the estimated amount of future orders under the expected duration of the program. Substantially all of our unfunded backlog is subject to termination at will and rescheduling, without significant penalty. Funds are often appropriated for programs or contracts on a yearly or quarterly basis, even though the contract may call for performance that is expected to take a number of years. Therefore, our funded backlog does not include the full value of our contracts.
The total backlog at December 31, 20212023 is primarily comprised of long-term programs with Raytheon (NGJ-MB; B-52 Radar Rack), USAF (T-38), Boeing (A-10), Sikorsky (UH-60), Northrop Grumman (E-2D), Lockheed Martin (F-16; F-35), Collins Aerospace (MS-110 and TacSAR pods) and Embraer (Phenom 300). Funded backlog is primarily from purchase orders under long-term contracts with the USAF (T-38), Boeing (A-10), Sikorsky (UH-60), Northrop Grumman (E-2D), Lockheed Martin (F-16; F-35), Raytheon (NGJ-MB; B-52 Radar Rack) and Embraer (Phenom 300). Approximately 52% of the funded backlog at December 31, 2021 is expected to be recognized as revenue during 2022.$513,351,000.
Our total backlog as of December 31, 20212023 and 20202022 was as follows:
Backlog (Total) | December 31, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||||||
Funded | $ | 134,722,000 | $ | 169,567,000 | $ | 118,218,000 | $ | 122,148,000 | ||||||||
Unfunded | 366,997,000 | 306,618,000 | 395,133,000 | 392,352,000 | ||||||||||||
Total | $ | 501,719,000 | $ | 476,185,000 | $ | 513,351,000 | $ | 514,500,000 |
Approximately 97% and 98% of the total amount of our backlog at December 31, 20212023 and 2022 was attributable to government contracts, compared to 96% at December 31, 2020.contracts. Our backlog attributable to government contracts at December 31, 20212023 and 20202022 was as follows:
Backlog (Government) | December 31, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||||||
Funded | $ | 132,499,000 | $ | 166,156,000 | $ | 115,681,000 | $ | 119,133,000 | ||||||||
Unfunded | 358,133,000 | 290,632,000 | 383,574,000 | 384,652,000 | ||||||||||||
Total | $ | 490,632,000 | $ | 456,788,000 | $ | 499,255,000 | $ | 503,785,000 |
Our backlog attributable to commercial contracts at December 31, 20212023 and 20202022 was as follows:
Backlog (Commercial) | December 31, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||||||
Funded | $ | 2,223,000 | $ | 3,411,000 | $ | 2,537,000 | $ | 3,015,000 | ||||||||
Unfunded | 8,864,000 | 15,986,000 | 11,559,000 | 7,700,000 | ||||||||||||
Total | $ | 11,087,000 | $ | 19,397,000 | $ | 14,096,000 | $ | 10,715,000 |
Material and Parts
We subcontract production of substantially all parts incorporated into our products to third-party manufacturers under firm fixed price orders. Our decision to purchase certain components generally is based upon whether the components are available to meet required specifications at a cost and with a delivery schedule consistent with customer requirements. From time to time, we are required to purchase custom made parts from sole suppliers and manufacturers in order to meet specific customer requirements.
We obtain our raw materials from several commercial sources. Although certain items are only available from limited sources of supply, we believe that the loss of any single supplier would not have a material adverse effect on our business.
Competition
We face competition in our role as both a prime contractor to the U.S. Government and as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 subcontractor to military and commercial aircraft manufacturers. Within our aerostructures capability, we often compete against much larger Tier 1 suppliers, such as Triumph Group, Spirit AeroSystems, Kaman Aerospace, GKN, Ducommun, and LMI Aerospace. We believe that we can compete effectively with these larger companies by delivering products with the same level of quality and performance at a better value for our customer. Within our aerosystems capability, such as our portfolio of EW and ISR integrated pod structures, we find more limited competition and are not aware of competition from any of the aerostructures companies mentioned above. In these cases, we typically compete with the internal manufacturing arm of our customers. We believe our unique skills related to integrated pod structures combined with a very efficient and generally much lower cost structure creates a competitive advantage for bidding on aerosystems contracts.
For certain unrestricted contracts for the U.S. Government, we may compete against well-established prime contractors, including NGC, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing. All of these competitors possess significantly larger infrastructures, greater resources and the capabilities to respond to much larger contracts. We believe that our competitive advantage lies in our ability to offer large contractor capabilities with the flexibility and responsiveness of a small company, while staying competitive in cost and delivering superior quality products. While larger prime contractors compete for significant modification awards, they generally do not compete for awards in smaller modifications, spares and replacement parts, even for aircraft for which they are the original manufacturer. In certain instances, the large prime contractors often subcontract much of the work they win to their Tier 1 suppliers so we also may act as a subcontractor to some of these major prime contractors. Further, in some cases these companies are not permitted to bid, for example when the U.S. Government designates a contract as a Small Business Set-Aside. In these restricted contracts for the U.S. Government, CPI Aero typically competes against numerous small business competitors. We believe we compete effectively against the smaller competitors because smaller competitors generally do not have the expertise we have in responding to requests for proposals for government contracts, nor will they typically have the more than 40 years of past performance in conducting thousands of contracts for the U.S. Government.
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COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic Impact on Our Business
The outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization during our first quarter of 2020. During the latter part of that quarter and subsequent to that quarter end, the COVID-19 pandemic grew, causing non-essential businesses to shut down and many people to observe the shelter-in-place directive from our state government. Our business and operations and the industries in which we operate have been impacted by public and private sector policies and initiatives in the U.S. to address the transmission of COVID-19, such as the imposition of travel restrictions and the adoption of remote work. The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to a general slowdown in the global economy, has adversely impacted the businesses of certain of our customers and suppliers, and, if it continues for an extended period of time, it could adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition. In response to the COVID-19 impact on our business, we have been and continue to actively mitigate costs. We have also been taking actions to preserve capital and protect the long-term needs of our businesses, including negotiating progress payments with our customers and reducing discretionary spending. For more information on the current and potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, see Risk Factors included in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
During late 2020, we began to experience an increased rate of employees testing positive for COVID-19 and we took steps to mitigate virus transmission within the workplace. These steps included adding a second manufacturing shift to lessen employee density on the manufacturing floor and to require most non-manufacturing personnel to work from home. These measures continued into 2021. Despite these measures, we experienced a relatively high level of absenteeism directly or indirectly related to COVID-19. We have taken mitigating steps in an attempt to reduce the adverse effects of COVID-19 on our business. For example, we have curtailed discretionary spending and business travel, and taken other steps to preserve cash. We have also taken action to more closely manage the flow of materials to be more responsive to unanticipated changes in customer delivery schedules. Since May 2021 and through the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we have experienced a decrease in the impact of COVID-19. However, we believe that the impact of COVID-19 on illness and absence rates, workflows and productivity at the Company and our business providers has been a contributing factor to the time required for our financial statement closing processes and the delayed filing of our SEC reports. Most non-manufacturing personnel have now returned to their regular in-person work schedules and we have returned to a single day shift manufacturing operation, although we do continue to experience employees and business partners with new COVID-19 diagnoses on an intermittent basis and we take needed steps to mitigate these impacts on the Company’s operation as they occur.
Government Regulation
Environmental Regulation
We are subject to regulations administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, various state, agencies and county, and local authoritiesagencies acting in cooperation with federal and state authorities. Among other things, these regulatory bodies impose restrictions to control air, soil, and water pollution, to protect against occupational exposure to chemicals, including health and safety risks, and to require notification or reporting of the storage, use, and release of certain hazardous chemicals and substances. The extensive regulatory framework imposes compliance burdens and risks on us. Governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these regulations and to obtain injunctions or impose civil and criminal fines in the case of violations.
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”) imposes strict, joint and several liability on the present and former owners and operators of facilities that release hazardous substances into the environment. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (“RCRA”) regulates the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. In New York State, the handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous substances are governed by the Environmental Conservation Law, which contains the New York counterparts of CERCLA and RCRA. In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which requires employers to provide a place of employment that is free from recognized and preventable hazards that are likely to cause serious physical harm to employees, obligates employers to provide notice to employees regarding the presence of hazardous chemicals and to train employees in the use of such substances.
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Our operations require the use of a limited amount of chemicals and other materials for painting and cleaning, including solvents and thinners, which are classified under applicable laws as hazardous chemicals and substances. We follow all federal, state and local rules and regulations regarding the disposal of these chemicals and associated waste. We have obtained a permit from the Town of Islip, New York, Building Division in order to maintain a paint booth containing flammable liquids.
Federal Aviation Administration Regulation
We are subject to regulation by the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) under the provisions of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended. The FAA prescribes standards and licensing requirements for aircraft and aircraft components. We are subject to inspections by the FAA and may be subjected to fines and other penalties (including orders to cease production) for noncompliance with FAA regulations. Our failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in the termination of or our disqualification from some of our contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations.
Government Contract Compliance
Our government contracts and sub-contracts are subject to the procurement rules and regulations of the U.S. Government. Many of the contract terms are dictated by these rules and regulations. Specifically, cost-based pricing is determined under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”), which provide guidance on the types of costs that are allowable in establishing prices for goods and services under U.S. Government contracts. For example, costs such as those related to charitable contributions, advertising, interest expense, and public relations are unallowable, and therefore not recoverable through sales. During and after the fulfillment of a government contract, we may be audited in respect of the direct and allocated indirect costs attributed thereto. These audits may result in adjustments to our contract costs. Additionally, we may be subject to U.S. Government inquiries and investigations because of our participation in government procurement. Any inquiry or investigation can result in fines or limitations on our ability to continue to bid for government contracts and fulfill existing contracts. We believe that we are in compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing our operations and have obtained all material licenses and permits required for the operation of our business.
The U.S. Government generally has the ability to terminate our contracts, in whole or in part, without prior notice, for convenience or for default based on performance. If a U.S. Government contract were to be terminated for convenience, we generally would be protected by provisions covering reimbursement for costs incurred on the contract and profit on those costs, but not the anticipated profit that would have been earned had the contract been completed. In the unusual circumstance where a U.S. Government contract does not have such termination protection, we attempt to mitigate the termination risk through other means. Termination resulting from our default may expose us to liability and could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete for other contracts. The U.S. Government also has the ability to stop work under a contract for a limited period of time for its convenience. In the event of a stop work order, we generally would be protected by provisions covering reimbursement for costs incurred on the contract to date and for costs associated with the temporary stoppage of work on the contract. However, such temporary stoppages and delays could introduce inefficiencies for which we may not be able to negotiate full recovery from the U.S. Government, and could ultimately result in termination for convenience or reduced future orders on certain contracts. Additionally, we may be required to continue to perform for some period of time on certain of our U.S. Government contracts, even if the U.S. Government is unable to make timely payments.
Insurance
We maintain a $2$2.0 million general liability insurance policy, a $100 million products liability insurance policy, and a $5$5.0 million umbrella liability insurance policy. Additionally, we maintain $15$10.0 million of director and officers’ liability insurance. We believe this coverage is adequate for claims that have been and may be brought against us, and for the types of products presently marketed because of the strict inspection standards imposed on us by our customers before they take possession of our products. Additionally, the FAR generally provide that we will not be held liable for any loss of or damage to property of the U.S. Government that occurs after the U.S. Government accepts delivery of our products and that results from any defects or deficiencies in our products unless the liability results from willful misconduct or lack of good faith on the part of our managerial personnel.
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Proprietary Information
None of our current assembly processes or products is protected by patents. We rely on proprietary know-how and information and employ various methods to protect the processes, concepts, ideas, and documentation associated with our products. These methods, however, may not afford complete protection and there can be no assurance that others will not independently develop such processes, concepts, ideas, and documentation.
CPI Aero® is a registered trademark of the Company.
Human Capital Management
As of December 31, 2021, we had 249 full-time employees. We employ temporary personnel with specialized disciplines on an as-needed basis. We depend on a highly educated and skilled workforce. We seek to advance a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment for all employees. Our ability to attract, develop and retain top talent across all of our business functions, and particularly in highly technical areas, has a significant impact on organizational success. Accordingly, our human capital management strategy places a significant focus on both attracting a diverse, highly skilled workforce and engaging and developing talent from within by creating a work environment that promotes inclusion and equitability. By providing our valued employees the best talent, particularly those with technical, engineeringopportunity to enhance their skillsets, develop their careers and science backgrounds or experience, is critical forpursue excellence through numerous training and development opportunities, we consistently emphasize the importance of innovation and continuous improvement throughout our organization. We continue to pursue opportunities that enable us to executebuild our strategytalent pipeline, particularly for skilled labor, including running an apprentice training program several times over the course of the year and growforging relationships with local high school and trade schools.
We attract and compensate our businesses.employees by offering a competitive total rewards package which includes benefits, resources, and programs that support health, physical, mental, and financial wellness. The benefits package we offer, coupled with employee recognition opportunities and employee engagement activities help create a comprehensive employee experience. We periodically benchmark our benefits programs and associated costs to remain competitive.
As of December 31, 2023, we had 203 full-time employees as compared to 208 full-time employees as of December 31, 2022. On an as-needed basis, we employ temporary personnel with specialized disciplines to fill staffing gaps. We do not have any employees represented by a union, and we believe that our relations with our employees are good. We provide our team members with ongoing opportunities to share thoughts and perspectives on company and employment-related matters through surveys, all-hands meetings, and management open door policies. Our management, with oversight from the Compensation and Human Resources Committee of our board of directors, monitors the hiring, retention, and management of our employees and regularly conducts succession planning to ensure that we continue to cultivate the pipeline of talent needed to operate our business.
In addition, we have taken measures to protect our workforce in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including allowing employees to work from home when possibleDiversity and implementing safety protocols to support our essential employees required to work onsite, such as making changes to shift work to promote social distancing among our manufacturing personnel, and providing masks and hand sanitizer.Inclusion
DuringWe value diversity and inclusion in our workforce as we understand that diversity of background, thought, and experience leads to greater innovation and improved business results. We are committed to increasing and retaining diversity at all levels of our workforce, and focus on diversity and inclusion throughout our recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes. Over the first quarterlast year, we have increased diversity on our board of 2022, the Company began a cost reduction initiative designeddirectors to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs during fiscal year 2022. Management is reallocating resources and reducing operating and general administrative expenses to more properly align the Company’s costs to anticipated near-term revenue given the timing differences between the conclusion of certain mature programs and the commencement of new programs29% up from 17% in 2022. In connection with the cost reduction initiative, the Company executed a headcount reduction and furlough action in March 2022.Our executive management team is comprised of 40% diverse employees.
NoneAcross our total employee population and based on employees who self-identify, as of December 31, 2023, approximately 21% of our workforce are female, 34% are multicultural and 5% are veterans.
Safety
Ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees is a membertop priority. The goal of a union.our safety program is to increase safety knowledge and awareness throughout the organization to ensure occupational health, reduce risk, and prevent incidents. We believe thatregularly benchmark our relations withsafety performance, self-audit our safety compliance, and provide our employees are good.with safety-related training. We conduct an investigation, including root cause analysis and corrective action, any time a safety incident or a near miss occurs.
Our Safety Committee is comprised of employees from various disciplines throughout the organization who meet on a regular basis to execute continuous improvement strategies, develop methods to increase ownership of safety throughout the organization, establish new safety initiatives, and assess safety performance.
Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
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We monitor the effectiveness of our safety program by comparing recordable incidents and incident severity year over year. We measure the number of safety incidents with the total recordable incident rate (“TRIR”) metric and the severity of incidents with the days away restricted and transferred (“DART”) metric. The table below represents our result from the two most recent calendar years:
Safety Metric | 2023 | 2022 |
TRIR | 2.9 | 2.6 |
DART | 1.0 | 1.3 |
TRIR = total number of recordable cases x 200,000 / total hours worked
DART = number of cases with days away from work x 200,000 / total hours worked by all employees
Community Involvement
Having a positive impact on the community around us is one of our most important values. We donate to local charitable organizations, such as United Way of Long Island, through both monetary contributions, as well as “drives” to collect and deliver employee donated food and school supplies. We actively engage and educate local high school students from surrounding districts about the manufacturing and engineering industry and career trajectory. This includes, hosting educational experiences and shop tours with high school and trade school classes. Members of our leadership team participate on the boards of the local aviation college and trade associations that support and advance the interests of the local community.
Item 1A. | RISK FACTORS |
In addition to other risks and uncertainties described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the following material risk factors should be carefully considered in evaluating our business because such factors may have a significant impact on our business, operating results, liquidity, and financial condition. As a result of the risk factors set forth below, actual results did and could continue to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements.
Risks Related to the Restatement of our Prior Period Consolidated Financial Statements and Material Weaknesses in our Internal ControlOur Business
We have restateddepend on government contracts for a significant portion of our consolidated financial statements during the past three years, including the restatement included in our 2020 Comprehensive Form 10-K/A. These restatements have affected and may continue to affect investor confidence, our stock price, our ability to raise capital in the future, and our reputation with our customers, have resulted and may continue to result in stockholder litigation and may reduce customer confidence in our ability to complete new contract opportunities.revenues.
In February 2019, we filed an amended Quarterly ReportWe are a supplier, either directly or as a subcontractor, to the U.S. Government and its agencies. We depend on Form 10-Q/Agovernment contracts for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, which included a restatementsignificant portion of our business. If we are suspended or barred from contracting with the U.S. Government, if our reputation or relationship with individual federal agencies were impaired, or if the U.S. Government otherwise ceased doing business with us or significantly decreased the amount of business it does with us, our business, prospects, financial statements for the period then ended. The restatement of such financial statements corrected an overstatement of revenue in such period due to the miscoding of an invoice in the Company’s records (the “Coding Error”). In August 2020, we filed an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, which included a restatement of our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 to correct certain errorscondition, and operating results would be materially adversely affected.
We face risks relating to our recognition of revenue, which errors resulted from an incorrect applicationgovernment contracts.
The funding of U.S. GAAP (the “Revenue Recognition Error”). In November 2021, we filedGovernment programs is subject to congressional budget authorization and appropriation processes. For many programs, the U.S. Congress appropriates funds on a comprehensive Form 10-K/A (the “Comprehensive Form 10-K/A”) which includedfiscal year basis even though a restatementprogram may extend over several fiscal years. Consequently, programs are often only partially funded initially and additional funds are committed only as Congress makes further appropriations. Appropriations are driven by numerous factors, including geopolitical events, macroeconomic conditions, the ability of our (i) consolidated balance sheetthe U.S. Government to enact relevant legislation, such as appropriations bills and continuing resolutions, the threat or existence of December 31, 2020a government shutdown and December 31, 2019,potential downgrades of the United States’ credit rating, and the related consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and shareholders’ deficit for the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, and (ii) consolidated balance sheets and statements of shareholders’ deficit as of March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, the related consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020, the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, and the consolidated statements of cash flows for the three, six and nine month periods ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, respectively, and related disclosures to correct errors in such financial statementsrisks relating to the recordingupcoming U.S. presidential election. We cannot predict the extent to which total funding and/or funding for individual programs will be included, increased or reduced in budgets approved by Congress or be included in the scope of separate supplemental appropriations. In the event that appropriations for any of our programs becomes unavailable, or is reduced or delayed, our contract or subcontract under such program may be terminated or adjusted by the U.S. Government, which could have a material adverse effect on our future sales under such program, and reportingon our financial position, results of inventory costingoperations and related internal controls (the “Inventory Costing Errors”)cash flows.
We also cannot predict the impact of potential changes in priorities due to military transformation and resulting deficienciesplanning and/or the nature of war-related activity on existing, follow-on, or replacement programs. A shift of government priorities to programs in reserves (the “Insufficient Reserves”). The Inventory Costing Errors resulted from software processingwhich we do not participate and/or reductions in funding for or the termination of programs in which we do participate, unless offset by other programs and coding errors, inconsistent unitsopportunities, could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of measure being usedoperations, and cash flows.
In addition, the U.S. Government generally has the ability to terminate contracts, completely or in part, without prior notice, for quantities orderedconvenience or for default based on performance. In the event of termination for the U.S. Government’s convenience, contractors are generally protected by provisions covering reimbursement for costs incurred on the contracts and quantities receivedprofit on those costs but not the anticipated profit that would have been earned had the contract been completed. Termination by the U.S. Government of certain purchased parts, incorrect accrualsa contract for convenience could also result in the cancellation of future work on that program. Termination by the U.S. Government of a contract due to accounting periodsour default could require us to pay for re-procurement costs in excess of the cost of certain goods received and the Company not having a procedure to address over or under absorbed overhead costs at the end of accounting periods. The Insufficient Reserves resulted from insufficient inventory reserves and provisions for loss contracts. The existenceoriginal contract price, net of the Coding Error, Revenue Recognition Error,value of work accepted from the Inventory Costing Errorsoriginal contract. Termination of a contract due to our default may expose us to liability and could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete for contracts. Additionally, we are a subcontractor on some U.S. Government contracts. In these arrangements, the Insufficient Reserves, along withU.S. Government could terminate the related restatements, have had and may continueprime contract for convenience or otherwise, without regard to haveour performance as a subcontractor. We can give no assurance that we would be awarded new U.S. Government contracts to offset the effectrevenues lost as a result of eroding investor confidence in the Company and our financial reporting and accounting practices and processes, have negatively impacted and may continue to negatively impact the trading pricetermination of any of our common stock, have resulted and may continue to result in stockholder litigation, may make it more difficult for us to raise capital on acceptable terms, if at all, and may negatively impact our reputation with our customers and cause customers to place new orders with other companies.U.S. Government contracts.
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We have risks associated with competing in the bidding process for contracts.
We obtain many of our contracts through a competitive bidding process. In the bidding process, we face the following risks:
● | we must bid on programs in advance of their completion, which may result in unforeseen technological difficulties or cost overruns; |
● | we must devote substantial time and effort to prepare bids and proposals for competitively awarded contracts that may not be awarded to us; and |
● | awarded contracts may not generate sales sufficient to result in profitability. |
Further consolidation in the aerospace industry could adversely affect our business and financial results.
The A&D industry has experienced significant consolidation, including among our customers, competitors, and suppliers. While we believe we have positioned our Company to take advantage of opportunities to market to a broad customer base, which we believe will reduce the potential impact of industry consolidation, there can be no assurance that industry consolidation will not impact our business. Consolidation among our customers may result in delays in the awarding of new contracts and losses of existing business. Consolidation among our competitors may result in larger competitors with greater resources and market share, which could adversely affect our ability to compete successfully. Consolidation among our suppliers may result in fewer sources of supply and increased costs to us.
We depend upon a select base of large prime defense contractors for the majority of our revenue, which subjects us to unique risks which may adversely affect us.
We currently generate a majority of our revenues by producing products for numerous programs under contracts with three prime defense contractors to the U.S. Government. These significant customers – Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and NGC – constituted approximately 30%, 26% and 12%, respectively of our 2023 revenue. Our revenues from these customers are diversified over several different A&D products, programs, and subsidiaries within these customers, however, any significant change in production rates by any of these customers would have a material effect on our results of operations and cash flows. There is no assurance that our current significant customers will continue to buy products from us at current levels, that we will retain any or all our existing significant customers, or that we will be able to form new relationships with other customers upon the loss of one or more of our existing significant customers.
We are subject to strict governmental regulations relating to the environment, which could result in fines and remediation expenses in the event of non-compliance.
We are required to comply with extensive and frequently changing environmental regulations at the federal, state, and local levels. Among other things, these regulatory bodies impose restrictions to control air, soil, and water pollution, to protect against occupational exposure to chemicals, including health and safety risks, and to require notification or reporting of the storage, use, and release of certain hazardous substances into the environment. This extensive regulatory framework imposes significant compliance burdens and risks on us. In addition, these regulations may impose liability for the cost of removal or remediation of certain hazardous substances released on or in our facilities without regard to whether we knew of, or caused, the release of such substances. Furthermore, we are required to provide a place of employment that is free from recognized and preventable hazards that are likely to cause serious physical harm to employees, provide notice to employees regarding the presence of hazardous chemicals and to train employees in the use of such substances. Our operations require the use of a limited amount of chemicals and other materials for painting and cleaning that are classified under applicable laws as hazardous chemicals and substances. If we are found not to comply with any of these rules, regulations, or permits, we may be subject to fines, remediation expenses, and the obligation to change our business practice, any of which could result in substantial costs that would adversely affect our business operations and financial condition.
We may be subject to fines and disqualification for non-compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) regulations.
We are subject to regulation by the FAA under the provisions of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended. The FAA prescribes standards and licensing requirements for aircraft and aircraft components. We are subject to inspections by the FAA and may be subjected to fines and other penalties (including orders to cease production) for noncompliance with FAA regulations. Our failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in the termination of or our disqualification from some of our contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial condition.
If our subcontractors or suppliers fail to perform their contractual obligations, our contract performance, and our ability to obtain future business and our profitability could be materially and adversely impacted.
Most of our contracts involve subcontracts with other companies upon which we rely to perform a portion of the services that we must provide to our customers. There is a risk that we may have disputes with our subcontractors, including disputes regarding the quality and timeliness of work performed by the subcontractor, customer concerns about the subcontract, our failure to extend existing task orders or issue new task orders under a subcontract, our hiring of personnel of a subcontractor, or disputes concerning payment. A failure by one or more of our subcontractors to satisfactorily provide on a timely basis the agreed-upon supplies or perform the agreed-upon services may materially and adversely affect our ability to fulfill our obligations as the prime contractor. Subcontractor performance deficiencies could result in a customer eliminating our ability to progress bill or terminate our contract for default. A prohibition on progress billing may have an adverse effect upon our cash flow and profitability and a default termination could expose us to liability and have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete for future contracts and orders. In addition, a delay in our ability to obtain components and equipment parts from our suppliers may affect our ability to meet our customers’ needs and may have a material adverse effect upon our profitability.
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Due to fixed contract pricing, increasing contract costs exposes us to reduced profitability and the potential loss of future business.
Operating margin is adversely affected when contract costs that cannot be billed to customers are incurred. This cost growth can occur if estimates to complete a contract increase due to technical challenges or if initial estimates used for calculating the contract price were incorrect. The cost estimation process requires significant judgment and expertise. Reasons for cost growth may include unavailability and productivity of labor, the nature and complexity of the work to be performed, the effect of change orders, the availability and cost of materials, the effect of any delays in performance, availability, and timing of funding from the customer, natural disasters, pandemics, and the inability to recover any claims included in the estimates to complete. A significant increase in cost estimates on one or more programs could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.
We use estimates when accounting for contracts. Changes in estimates may affect our profitability and our overall financial position.
We primarily recognize revenue from our contracts over the contractual period pursuant to ASC 606. Pursuant to ASC 606, revenue and gross profit are recognized as work is performed based on the relationship between actual costs incurred and total estimated costs at the completion of the contract. Recognized revenues that will not be billed under the terms of the contract until a later date are recorded on our consolidated balance sheet as an asset captioned “Contract assets.” Contracts where billings to date have exceeded recognized revenues are recorded on our consolidated balance sheet as a liability captioned “Contract liabilities.” Changes to the original estimates may be required during the term of the contract. Estimates are reviewed quarterly and the effect of any change in the estimated gross margin percentage for a contract is reflected in the consolidated financial statements for the period the change becomes known. ASC 606 requires the use of considerable estimates in determining revenues and profits and in assigning the amounts to accounting periods. As a result, there can be a significant disparity between earnings (both for accounting and taxes) as reported and actual cash received by us during any reporting period.
We continually evaluate all the issues related to the assumptions, risks and uncertainties inherent with the application of ASC 606; however, there is no assurance that our estimates will be accurate. If our estimates are not accurate or a contract is terminated, we will be forced to adjust revenue in later periods. Furthermore, even if our estimates are accurate, we may have a shortfall in our cash flow and we may need to borrow money to pay for costs until the reported earnings materialize to actual cash receipts.
If the contracts associated with our backlog were terminated, our financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.
The maximum contract value specified under each contract that we enter is not necessarily indicative of the revenues that we will realize under that contract. Because we may not receive the full amount we expect under a contract, we may not accurately estimate our backlog because the earnings of revenues on programs included in backlog may never occur or may change. Cancellations of pending contracts or terminations or reductions of contracts in progress could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations.
We may be unable to attract and retain personnel who are key to our operations.
Our success, among other things, is dependent on our ability to attract and retain highly qualified senior officers and employees at all levels. Competition for key personnel is intense. Our ability to attract and retain senior officers and experienced, top rate employees is dependent on several factors, including prevailing market conditions and compensation and benefit packages offered by companies competing for the same talent and our reputation in the industry. If our reputation is adversely affected, we may be unable to recruit, hire, and retain talented personnel. The inability to hire and retain these people may adversely affect our production operations and other aspects of our business.
We are subject to intense competition for the skilled technicians necessary to manufacture our products.
We are subject to intense competition for the services of skilled technicians necessary to manufacture our products. The demand for these individuals may increase as other manufacturers seek to bring to the U.S. manufacturing processes currently outsourced overseas. If the U.S. economy continues to undergo a period of inflation, our labor costs may increase which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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We are subject to the cyclical nature of the commercial aerospace industry, and any future downturn in the commercial aerospace industry or general economic conditions, including inflation could adversely impact the demand for our products.
Our business may be affected by certain characteristics and trends of the commercial aerospace industry or general economic conditions that affect our customers, such as the current inflationary and high interest rate environment in the U.S. and the resultant impacts on the supply chain, the labor market and the general economy, as well as fluctuations in the aerospace industry’s business cycle, varying fuel and labor costs, intense price competition and regulatory scrutiny, certain trends, including a possible decrease in aviation activity and a decrease in outsourcing by aircraft manufacturers, or the failure of projected market growth to materialize or continue. If these characteristics and trends adversely affect customers in the commercial aerospace industry, they may reduce the overall demand for our products.
Our working capital requirements may negatively affect our liquidity and capital resources.
Our working capital requirements can vary significantly, depending in part on the timing of new program awards and the payment terms with our customers and suppliers. If our working capital needs exceed our cash flows from operations, we would look to our cash balances and availability for borrowings under our credit facility to satisfy those needs, as well as potential sources of additional capital, which may not be available on satisfactory terms and in adequate amounts, if at all. See “Risks Related to Our Indebtedness and Liquidity” below.
We incur risks associated with new programs.
New programs with new technologies typically carry risks associated with design changes, development of new production tools, increased capital and funding commitments, ability to meet customer specifications, delivery schedules and unique contractual requirements, supplier performance, ability of the customer to meet its contractual obligations to us, and our ability to accurately estimate costs associated with such programs. In addition, any new program may not generate sufficient demand or may experience technological problems or significant delays in the regulatory or other certification or manufacturing and delivery schedule. If we were unable to perform our obligations under new programs to the customer’s satisfaction, if we were unable to manufacture products at our estimated costs, or if a new program in which we had made a significant investment was terminated or experienced weak demand, delays, or technological problems, then our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. This risk includes the potential for default, quality problems, or inability to meet specifications, as well as our inability to negotiate final pricing for program changes and could result in low margin or forward loss contracts, and the risk of having to write-off contract assets if they were deemed to be unrecoverable. In addition, beginning new work on existing programs also carries risk associated with the transfer of technology, knowledge, and tooling.
To perform on new programs, we may be required to expend up-front costs which may not have been negotiated in our selling price. Additionally, we may have made margin assumptions related to those costs, that in the case of significant program delays and/or program cancellations, or if we are not successful in negotiating favorable margin on scope changes, could cause us to experience margin degradation which may be material, for costs that are not recoverable. Such charges and the loss of up-front costs could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity.
We are presently classified as a small business and the loss of our small business status may adversely affect our ability to compete for government contracts.
We are presently classified as a small business under the North American Industry Classification Systems (“NAICS”) industry and product specific codes that are regulated in the U.S. by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). We are not considered a small business under all NAICS codes. While we do not presently derive a substantial portion of our business from contracts that are set aside for small businesses, we are able to bid on small business set-aside contracts as well as contracts that are open to non-small business entities. As the NAICS codes are periodically revised, it is possible that we may lose our status as a small business. The loss of small business status would adversely affect our eligibility for special small business programs and limit our ability to collaborate with other business entities which are seeking to team with small business entities as may be required under a specific contract.
Cyber security attacks, internal system or service failures and technological changes, including the use of machine learning and generative artificial intelligence, may adversely impact our business and operations.
Any system or service disruptions, including those caused by projects to improve our information technology systems, if not anticipated and appropriately mitigated, could disrupt our business, and impair our ability to effectively provide products and related services to our customers and could have a material adverse effect on our business. We could also be subject to systems failures, including network, software, or hardware failures, whether caused by us, third-party service providers, intruders or hackers, computer viruses, natural disasters, power shortages, or terrorist attacks. Cyber security threats are evolving and include, but are not limited to, malicious software, phishing, and other unauthorized attempts to gain access to sensitive, confidential, or otherwise protected information related to us or our products, customers, or suppliers, or other acts that could lead to disruptions in our business. Because the techniques used by cyber-attackers to access or sabotage networks change frequently and may not be recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these tactics. Any such failures to prevent or mitigate cyber-attacks could cause loss of data and interruptions or delays in our business, cause us to incur remediation costs, or subject us to claims and damage our reputation. In addition, the failure or disruption of our communications or utilities could cause us to interrupt or suspend our operations or otherwise adversely affect our business. Although we utilize various procedures and controls to monitor and mitigate the risk of these threats, including contracting with an outside cyber security firm to provide constant monitoring of our systems, and training our employees to recognize attacks, there can be no assurance that these procedures and controls will be sufficient. Our property and business interruption insurance may be inadequate to compensate us for all losses that may occur because of any system or operational failure or disruption which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Moreover, expenditures incurred in implementing cyber security and other procedures and controls could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
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Our ability to utilize our tax benefits could be substantially limited if we fail to generate sufficient income or if we experience an “ownership change”.
As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately $74.7 million of gross net operating losses (“NOLs”) for federal tax purposes and approximately $17.3 million of post-apportionment NOLs for state tax purposes. As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020, NOLs arising before January 1, 2018, and NOLs arising after January 1, 2018, are subject to different rules. Our pre-2018 NOLs totaled approximately $60.3 million; these NOLs will expire in varying amounts from 2034 through 2039, if not utilized, and can offset 100% of future taxable income for regular tax purposes. Our NOLs arising in 2018, 2019 and 2020 can generally be carried back five years, carried forward indefinitely and can offset 100% of taxable income for tax years before January 1, 2021 and up to 80% of taxable income for tax years after December 31, 2020. Any NOLs arising on or after January 1, 2021, cannot be carried back, can generally be carried forward indefinitely and can offset up to 80% of future taxable income.
Our ability to fully recognize the benefits from our NOLs is dependent upon our ability to generate sufficient income prior to their expiration. In addition, our NOL carryforwards may be limited if we experience an ownership change as defined by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (“Section 382”). In general, an ownership change under Section 382 occurs if 5% shareholders increase their collective ownership of the aggregate amount of our outstanding shares by more than 50 percentage points over a relevant lookback period. The Company completed a Section 382 analysis for the year ended December 31, 2022, and believes that no ownership change occurred during the relevant lookback period through December 31, 2023 that would limit our ability to use our NOLs.
Product liability claims in excess of insurance could adversely affect our financial results and financial condition.
We face potential liability for property damage, personal injury, or death as a result of the failure of products designed or manufactured by us. Although we currently maintain product liability insurance (including aircraft product liability insurance), any material product liability not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
Increased scrutiny from investors, lenders, regulators and other market participants regarding our environmental, social, governance, sustainability or climate responsibilities could expose us to additional costs and adversely impact our liquidity, results of operations, reputation, employee retention, and stock price.
There is an increasing focus from certain investors, customers, and other key stakeholders concerning corporate responsibility, specifically related to environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors. Some investors may use ESG criteria to guide their investment strategies and, in some cases, may choose not to invest in us if they believe our policies relating to corporate responsibilities are inadequate.
The ESG factors by which companies’ corporate responsibility practices are assessed may change. This could result in greater expectations of us and cause us to undertake costly initiatives to satisfy such new criteria. If we are unable to satisfy the new corporate responsibility criteria, investors may view our policies related to corporate responsibility as inadequate. We risk damage to our reputation in the event our corporate responsibility procedures or goals do not meet the standards or goals set by various constituencies. In addition, if our competitors’ corporate responsibility performance is perceived to be greater than ours, potential or current investors may elect to invest in our competitors instead. Further, in the event we communicate certain initiatives or goals related to ESG, we could fail, or be perceived to have failed, in our achievement of such initiatives or goals. If we fail to satisfy the expectations of investors and other key stakeholders, or our initiatives are not executed as planned, our reputation, employee retention, and willingness of our customers and suppliers to do business with us, financial results, and stock price could be materially and adversely affected.
Risks Related to Our Indebtedness and Liquidity
We obtained amendments to and received waivers of and consents to non-compliance with certain covenants under our credit facility with BankUnited and there can be no assurance that we will not fall out of compliance with our covenants in the future.
The Company was not in compliance with certain financial covenants under our credit facility (the “BankUnited Facility” or the “Credit Agreement”) with BankUnited, N.A. (“BankUnited”) for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, and financial statement submission covenants for the quarters ended March 31, 2022 and June 30, 2022 and obtained amendments to and received waivers of and consents to the non-compliance, as described in more detail in Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. There can be no assurance that we will be in compliance with our covenants in the future or that BankUnited will grant further waivers if we fall out of compliance or consents to future non-compliance. If we fall out of compliance with our banking covenants, BankUnited may declare a default under the BankUnited Facility and, among other remedies, could declare the full amount of the BankUnited Facility immediately due and payable and could foreclose against our collateral. If this were to occur, we may be unable to secure outside financing, if needed, to fund ongoing operations and for other capital needs. Any sources of financing that may be available to us could also be at higher costs and require us to satisfy more restrictive covenants, which could limit or restrict our operations, cash flows, and earnings. We cannot ensure that additional financing would be available to us or be sufficient or available on satisfactory terms.
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Our capital requirements, liquidity and financial condition raise significant risks as to our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our working capital requirements can vary significantly, depending in part on the timing of the conclusion of mature programs and new program awards and the payment terms with our customers and suppliers. There is currently no availability for borrowings under the BankUnited Facility and the Company finances its operations from internally generated cash flow. Notes 8 and 9 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II - Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K includes a discussion regarding the BankUnited Facility and recent amendments thereto.
Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming we will continue to operate as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. If we become unable to continue as a going concern, we may have to liquidate our assets and the values we receive for our assets in liquidation or dissolution could be significantly lower than the values reflected in our consolidated financial statements. It is management’s estimation that there will likely not be any individual conditions or combination of events that will occur in the coming year which would cause the Company to be unable to continue as a going concern.
Our cost of borrowing under the Credit Agreement is based on the Prime Rate of interest per annum published in the Money Rates section of The Wall Street Journal (the “Prime Rate”) plus the margin charged by our lender, and increases in the Prime Rate negatively impact our profitability.
Interest rates under our Credit Agreement are based on the Prime Rate, and as a result, we have exposure to interest rate risk. Certain central banks, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve, effected multiple interest rate increases in 2022 and 2023. Increases in interest rates increase our cost of borrowing and/or potentially make it more difficult to refinance our existing indebtedness.
We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting over a number of years which did and could continue to adversely affectaffected our ability to report our financial condition and results of operations in a timely and accurate manner.
As a result of the Inventory Costing Errors and the Insufficient Reserves, we have concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2019, December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2021, and we have also concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2019, December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2021 due to The material weaknesses led to multiple restatements of our consolidated financial statements. The material weaknesses and restatements have resulted in our internal control over financial reporting. In connection withfailure to meet SEC reporting obligations, affected and may continue to affect investor confidence, our stock price and our ability to raise capital in the Revenue Recognition Error, we previously determined that ourfuture, and have resulted and may continue to result in stockholder litigation.
We have reported material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and ourdid not maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures were not effectivefor reporting periods from 2018 through September 2023. The material weaknesses led to our restatement of our consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and the years ended December 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Although these material weaknesses have been remediated as of December 31, 20192023, these material weaknesses and December 31, 2018,restatements have affected investor confidence, our stock price, and resulted in connection with the Coding Error, we previously determined that our internal control over financial reporting and our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of September 30, 2018. The Revenue Recognition Error, Inventory Costing Errors and the Insufficient Reserves caused us to fail to comply with the financial covenants under our credit facility with BankUnited, N.A. and the restatement of such errors was a contributing factorpast in our failure to timely file periodic reports required under the Exchange Act. The Revenue Recognition Error also resulted in shareholdermeet various SEC reporting requirements and stockholder litigation.
As described in Item 9A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we have takenidentified a number of steps during 2021 in order to strengthen our accounting function so as to allow us to be able to provide timely and accurate financial reporting, which have remediated the internal control deficiencies that led to the Revenue Recognition Error and the internal control deficiencies that led to the Coding Error which had been previously remediated. However, such steps were not sufficient to prevent the Inventory Costing Errors and the Insufficient Reserves referred to within Item 9A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K as the “First Quarter 2021 Material Weaknesses” and there can be no assurance that these steps will be successful in preventing future errors or that additional material weaknessesweakness in our internal control over financial reporting will not arise or be identifiedof income taxes, which led to the restatement within Note 11 “Income Taxes” of the financial statements within this Annual Report on Form 10-K the Company’s December 31, 2022 deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities balances. The Company is in the future.process of remediating this material weakness.
During 2021, controls and procedures have been put in place to address the Insufficient Reserves, some improvements in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting have been made during 2021 with respect to the Inventory Costing Errors, and during 2022, we plan to conduct further work, and design and implement additional internal controls to remediate the material weakness in internal controls that existed at December 31, 2021 due to the Inventory Costing Errors, although there can be no guarantee that these controls, this work or planned additional controls will be successful.
We intend to continue our remediation activities and to continue to improve our overall control environment and our operational and financial systems and infrastructure, as well as to continue to train, retain and manage our personnel who are essential to effective internal control. In doing so, we will continue to incur expenses and expend management’s time on compliance-related issues. However, we cannot ensure that the steps that we have taken or will take will successfully remediate the errors. If we are unable to successfully complete our remediation efforts or favorably assess the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, our operating results, financial position, ability to accurately report our financial results and timely file our periodic reports under the Exchange Act, and our stock price could be adversely affected.
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Additionally, beginning in the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company began using inventory valuation and cost collection software associated with the Company’s jobs for which revenue is recognized using the point in time method of accounting. There can be no assurance that controls over inventory will be adequate to address all potential valuation issues that may arise in thea future relating to the use of the software and additional internal controls may need to be developed.
The occurrence of any future errors, misstatements, or failuresfailure in internal control should occur, it may also cause us to fail to meet SEC reporting obligations, negatively affect investor and customer confidence in our management and the accuracy of our financial statements and disclosures, investor and customer confidence, our ability to raise capital in the future and result in events of default under our banking agreements, or result in adverse publicity and concerns from investors and customers,agreement, any of which could have a negative effect on the price of our common stock, subject us to regulatory investigations and penalties orand additional stockholder litigation, and have a material adverse impact on our business and financial condition.
The restatements of our consolidated financial statements due to the Coding Error, the Revenue Recognition Error, the Inventory Costing Errors and the Insufficient Reserves have diverted, and our ongoing efforts to remediate our internal control may continue to divert management from the operation of our business. The absence of timely and accurate financial information has hindered and may in the future hinder our ability to effectively manage our business.
The restatements of our consolidated financial statements due to the Coding Error, the Revenue Recognition Error, the Inventory Costing Errors and the Insufficient Reserves have diverted, and our ongoing efforts to remediate our internal control may continue to divert management from the operation of our business. Our board of directors, members of management, and our accounting, and other staff have spent significant time on the restatements and remediation and will continue to spend significant time on remediation of internal control over our financial reporting. These resources have been, and will likely continue to be, diverted from the strategic and day-to-day management of our business and may have an adverse effect on our ability to accomplish our strategic objectives.
We face litigation relating to the Revenue Recognition Error.
Our Company and certain of our current and former executive officers and directors are defendants in litigation arising out of the Revenue Recognition Error in and restatements of our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018, and quarters ended March 31, 2018, June 30, 2018, September 30, 2018, March 31, 2019, June 30, 2019, and September 30, 2019. Please see Part I, Item 3, “Legal Proceedings.” These proceedings may result in significant expenses and the diversion of management attention from our business. We cannot ensure that additional litigation or other claims by shareholders will not be brought in the future arising out of the same subject matter.
We are currently ineligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3 to register the offer and sale of securities, which could adversely affect our ability to raise future capital.
We did not file our Quarterly Reports for the three months ended March 31, 2021, June 30, 2021 and September 30, 2021, this Annual Report on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2022 (the “2022 Q1 Form 10-Q”) and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 (the “2022 Q2 Form 10-Q”) within the timeframes required by the SEC. We have not yet filed the 2022 Q1 Form 10-Q or the 2022 Q2 Form 10-Q. We will regain status as a current filer when we file the 2022 Q2 Form 10-Q and any subsequently delayed reports. However, we will not be considered a timely filer and will not be eligible to file a short-form registration statement on Form S-3 to register the offer and sale of our securities until twelve full calendar months from the date we regain status as a current filer. If we wish to register the offer and sale of our securities to the public prior to such time, we will be required to use the long-form registration statement, Form S-1, which may increase both our transaction costs and the amount of time required to complete the transaction. This may adversely affect our ability to raise funds, if we choose to do so.
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The NYSE American exchange has suspended trading of our common stock and may delist our common stock from trading on the exchange. If our common stock is delisted from the NYSE American exchange, our business, financial condition, results of operations, stock price and investors’ ability to make transactions in our common stock could be adversely affected and the liquidity of our stock and our ability to obtain financing could be impaired.
On May 19, 2022, the NYSE American exchange (the “Exchange”) announced the suspension of trading of our common stock due to non-compliance with the SEC annual and quarterly report timely filing criteria provided for in Section 1007 of the Exchange’s Company Guide (the “Company Guide”) and announced that it was initiating proceedings to delist our common stock. The Company filed a request for review of the Exchange’s determination to initiate delisting proceedings to a Committee of the Board of Directors of NYSE Regulation (the “Committee”). A hearing for this review before a Listing Qualification Panel of the Committee has been scheduled for September 7, 2022 (the “Hearing”). The delisting action has been stayed pending the outcome of the review although trading of our common stock on the Exchange remains suspended.
We will become current with our SEC reports upon the filing of the 2022 Q1 Form 10-Q and the 2022 Q2 Form 10-Q. The Company believes that becoming current with our SEC reports will resolve the condition that led to NYSE American suspending trading in the Company’s common stock on the Exchange and its determination to commence proceedings to delist the common stock from the Exchange. The 2022 Q1 Form 10 Q and 2022 Q2 Form 10-Q will be filed as soon as practicable. We cannot assure you that if the Company becomes current with our SEC reports before the Hearing or the outcome of the Hearing will result in the Exchange changing its delisting determination or that our common stock will resume trading on the Exchange in the future.
On September 17, 2021, we received notice from the Exchange indicating that the Company does not meet the continued listing standards set forth in Part 10 of the Company Guide. The Company is not in compliance with Section 1003(a)(i) of the Company Guide since it has stockholders’ equity of less than $2.0 million and losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in two of its three most recent fiscal years and Section 1003(a)(ii) of the Company Guide since it has stockholders’ equity of less than $4.0 million and losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in three of its four most recent fiscal years. The Company is therefore subject to the procedures and requirements of Section 1009 of the Company Guide and was required to, and timely did, submit a plan to the Exchange addressing how the Company intends to regain compliance with the continued listing standards by March 17, 2023 (the “Plan”). On November 19, 2021, we received notice from the Exchange that it accepted the Plan, subject to periodic review, including quarterly monitoring, for compliance with the Plan. If the Company’s common stock is not delisted from the Exchange as a result of the Company’s delayed filings as described above and (i) the Company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards by March 17, 2023 or (ii) the Company does not make progress consistent with the Plan during the plan period, the Exchange staff may initiate delisting proceedings as appropriate.
The delisting of our common stock from the Exchange could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to attract new investors, reduce the price at which our common stock trades, decrease, investors’ ability to make transactions in our common stock, decrease the liquidity of our outstanding shares, increase the transaction costs inherent in trading such shares, and reduce our flexibility to raise additional capital with overall negative effects for our stockholders.
There is currently a very limited trading market for our common stock and investors are not assured of the opportunity to make transactions in our common stock.
The Company is not current in its SEC reporting obligations with respect to its 2022 Q1 Form 10-Q and its 2022 Q2 Form 10-Q. Companies that are not current in their SEC reporting obligations in accordance with the provisions of Rule 15c-11 (“Rule 15c2-11”) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, do not have current information publicly available and do not meet the requirements for ongoing quoting of their securities on one of the public markets (the “OTC Markets”) operated by the OTC Markets Group. Effective July 15, 2022, the Company’s common stock is quoted on the OTC Markets Group’s “Expert Market.”
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The Expert Market is available for unsolicited quotes only, meaning broker-dealers may use the Expert Market to publish unsolicited quotes representing orders from retail and institutional investors who are not affiliates or insiders of the Company. Quotations in Expert Market securities are made available to broker-dealers, institutions, and other sophisticated investors. Accordingly, investors are not assured of the opportunity to purchase or sell their shares when they desire to do so or at all.
The Company intends to become current with its SEC reporting obligations as soon as practicable. The Company anticipates that after it becomes current in its SEC reporting obligations its common stock will become eligible to be quoted on one of the OTC Markets through the filing of a Form 211 with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (or reliance on OTC Market Group’s current information designations in lieu thereof). There can be no assurance that the Company’s common stock will be quoted on an OTC Market or any other market or exchange or when that may occur in the future.
Risks Related to Global EventsOur Business
We depend on government contracts for a significant portion of our revenues.
We are a supplier, either directly or as a subcontractor, to the U.S. Government and its agencies. We depend on government contracts for a significant portion of our business. If we are suspended or barred from contracting with the U.S. Government, if our reputation or relationship with individual federal agencies were impaired, or if the U.S. Government otherwise ceased doing business with us or significantly decreased the amount of business it does with us, our business, prospects, financial condition, and operating results would be materially adversely affected.
We face risks relating to government contracts.
The impactfunding of U.S. Government programs is subject to congressional budget authorization and appropriation processes. For many programs, the U.S. Congress appropriates funds on a fiscal year basis even though a program may extend over several fiscal years. Consequently, programs are often only partially funded initially and additional funds are committed only as Congress makes further appropriations. Appropriations are driven by numerous factors, including geopolitical events, macroeconomic conditions, the ability of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic onU.S. Government to enact relevant legislation, such as appropriations bills and continuing resolutions, the threat or existence of a government shutdown and potential downgrades of the United States’ credit rating, and risks relating to the upcoming U.S. presidential election. We cannot predict the extent to which total funding and/or funding for individual programs will be included, increased or reduced in budgets approved by Congress or be included in the scope of separate supplemental appropriations. In the event that appropriations for any of our operations, supply chain, and customers has impacted andprograms becomes unavailable, or is reduced or delayed, our contract or subcontract under such program may be terminated or adjusted by the U.S. Government, which could continue to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows.
It is possible that the continued spread of COVID-19 could cause disruption in our supply chain or significantly increase the costs required to meet our contractual commitments, cause delay, or limit the ability of, the U.S. Governmentfuture sales under such program, and other customers to perform, including making timely payments to us, negotiating contracts, performing quality inspections, accepting delivery of finished products, and cause other unpredictable events. The disruption of air travel has impacted demand for the commercial air industry. Commercial aircraft manufacturers are reducing production rates due to fewer expected aircraft deliveries and, as a result, may reduce demand for our products. There have been and may continue to be changes in our government and commercial customers’ priorities and practices, as our customers confront competing budget priorities and more limited resources. These changes may impact current and future programs, procurements, and funding decisions, which in turn could impact our results of operations.
The COVID-19 pandemic could also impact our liquidity. Slower production schedules, higher company medical costs, potential inability of our customers to make timely payments to us, and similar factors could impact our cash flows. A period of generating lower cash from operations could adversely affect our financial position. We implemented several plans to mitigate such risks, including requesting and obtaining progress payments from our customers and longer payment terms with our suppliers; however, we may not be successful in the future in these efforts. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our cash flow will determine whether we need to obtain additional funding, which could be difficult to obtain. Due to uncertainty related to COVID-19 and its impact on us and the aerospace industry, and the volatility in the capital markets in general, access to financing may be reduced and we may have difficulty obtaining financing on terms acceptable to us or at all.
The extent to which COVID-19 affects our operations will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain, including the duration of the outbreak, new information which may emerge concerning the severity of the coronavirus and the actions to contain the coronavirus or address its impact, among others. If significant portions of our workforce or our suppliers’ workforces are unable to work effectively, including because of illness, quarantines, government actions, facility closure or other restrictions in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, our operations will likely be impacted. For example, we believe that the impact of COVID-19 on illness and absence rates, workflows and productivity at the Company and our business partners during 2020, 2021 and year-to-date 2022 has been a contributing factor to the time required for our financial statement closing processes and the delayed filing of our SEC reports. Further absences may cause us to be unable to perform fully on our contracts and our costs may increase as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. These cost increases may not be fully recoverable or adequately covered by insurance. In addition, the impact on our accounting staff and outside advisors may hamper our efforts to comply with our filing obligations with the SEC.
During late 2020, we began to experience an increased rate of employees testing positive for COVID-19 and we took steps to mitigate virus transmission within the workplace. These steps included adding a second manufacturing shift to lessen employee density on the manufacturing floor and to require most non-manufacturing personnel to work from home. These measures continued into 2021. Despite these measures, we experienced a relatively high level of absenteeism directly or indirectly related to COVID-19. We have taken mitigating steps in an attempt to reduce the adverse effects of COVID-19 on our business. For example, we have curtailed discretionary spending and business travel, and taken other steps to preserve cash. We have also taken action to more closely manage the flow of materials to be more responsive to unanticipated changes in customer delivery schedules. Since May 2021 and through the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we have experienced a decrease in the impact of COVID-19. However, we believe that the impact of COVID-19 on illness and absence rates, workflows and productivity at the Company and our business providers has been a contributing factor to the time required for our financial statement closing processes and the delayed filing of our SEC reports. Most non-manufacturing personnel have now returned to their regular in-person work schedules and we have returned to a single day shift manufacturing operation, although we do continue to experience employees and business partners with new COVID-19 diagnoses on an intermittent basis and we take needed steps to mitigate these impacts on the Company’s operation as they occur.
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The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the retaliatory measures imposed by the U.S., United Kingdom, European Union and other countries and the responses of Russia to such measures have caused significant disruptions to domestic and foreign economies.
The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation had an immediate impact on the global economy resulting in higher prices for oil and other commodities. The U.S., United Kingdom, European Union and other countries responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by imposing various economic sanctions and bans. Russia has responded with its own retaliatory measures. These measures have impacted the availability and price of certain raw materials and transportation costs. The invasion and retaliatory measures also disrupted economic markets. The global impact of these measures is continually evolving and cannot be predicted with certainty and there is no assurance that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and responses thereto will not further disrupt the global economy and supply chain. Further, there is no assurance that even when the invasion of Ukraine ceases, that nations will not continue to impose sanctions and bans on other nations.
While these events have not interrupted our operations or materially impacted our ability to obtain raw materials, these or future developments resulting from the invasion of Ukraine such as a cyberattack on the U.S., us or our suppliers, could make it difficult for or increase the cost of certain raw materials and transportation costs, or make it difficult to access debt and equity capital on attractive terms, if at all, and impact our ability to fund business activities and repay debt on a timely basis.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may alter countries’ willingness to rely on others as the source of certain products and material.
Historically, prime contractors and OEMs in the U.S. A&D industry have relied upon suppliers outside the U.S. for products and raw materials. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the economic disruption resulting from retaliatory measures may cause many of these companies to rethink these strategies and seek sources of supply within the U.S. To the extent they do so, it could disrupt domestic markets for raw materials and supplies, and the market for the skilled laborers we need to manufacture our products.
We cannot forecast with any certainty whether the disruptions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, restrictions imposed by various governments in response thereto and resulting changes in business practices, may materially impact our business and our consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
Terrorist actsWe also cannot predict the impact of potential changes in priorities due to military transformation and actsplanning and/or the nature of war may seriously harmwar-related activity on existing, follow-on, or replacement programs. A shift of government priorities to programs in which we do not participate and/or reductions in funding for or the termination of programs in which we do participate, unless offset by other programs and opportunities, could have a material adverse effect on our business,financial position, results of operations, and financial condition.cash flows.
In addition, the U.S. Government generally has the ability to terminate contracts, completely or in part, without prior notice, for convenience or for default based on performance. In the event of termination for the U.S. Government’s convenience, contractors are generally protected by provisions covering reimbursement for costs incurred on the contracts and profit on those costs but not the anticipated profit that would have been earned had the contract been completed. Termination by the U.S. Government of a contract for convenience could also result in the cancellation of future work on that program. Termination by the U.S. Government of a contract due to our default could require us to pay for re-procurement costs in excess of the original contract price, net of the value of work accepted from the original contract. Termination of a contract due to our default may expose us to liability and could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete for contracts. Additionally, we are a subcontractor on some U.S. Government contracts. In these arrangements, the U.S. Government could terminate the prime contract for convenience or otherwise, without regard to our performance as a subcontractor. We can give no assurance that we would be awarded new U.S. Government contracts to offset the revenues lost as a result of the termination of any of our U.S. Government contracts.
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We have risks associated with competing in the bidding process for contracts.
U.S.We obtain many of our contracts through a competitive bidding process. In the bidding process, we face the following risks:
● | we must bid on programs in advance of their completion, which may result in unforeseen technological difficulties or cost overruns; |
● | we must devote substantial time and effort to prepare bids and proposals for competitively awarded contracts that may not be awarded to us; and |
● | awarded contracts may not generate sales sufficient to result in profitability. |
Further consolidation in the aerospace industry could adversely affect our business and global responsesfinancial results.
The A&D industry has experienced significant consolidation, including among our customers, competitors, and suppliers. While we believe we have positioned our Company to actual ortake advantage of opportunities to market to a broad customer base, which we believe will reduce the potential military conflicts such as Russia’s invasionimpact of Ukraine, terrorism, perceived nuclear, biologicalindustry consolidation, there can be no assurance that industry consolidation will not impact our business. Consolidation among our customers may result in delays in the awarding of new contracts and chemical threatslosses of existing business. Consolidation among our competitors may result in larger competitors with greater resources and other global political crises increase uncertaintiesmarket share, which could adversely affect our ability to compete successfully. Consolidation among our suppliers may result in fewer sources of supply and increased costs to us.
We depend upon a select base of large prime defense contractors for the majority of our revenue, which subjects us to unique risks which may adversely affect us.
We currently generate a majority of our revenues by producing products for numerous programs under contracts with respectthree prime defense contractors to the U.S. Government. These significant customers – Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and NGC – constituted approximately 30%, 26% and 12%, respectively of our 2023 revenue. Our revenues from these customers are diversified over several different A&D products, programs, and subsidiaries within these customers, however, any significant change in production rates by any of these customers would have a material effect on our results of operations and cash flows. There is no assurance that our current significant customers will continue to buy products from us at current levels, that we will retain any or all our existing significant customers, or that we will be able to form new relationships with other customers upon the loss of one or more of our existing significant customers.
We are subject to strict governmental regulations relating to the environment, which could result in fines and remediation expenses in the event of non-compliance.
We are required to comply with extensive and frequently changing environmental regulations at the federal, state, and local levels. Among other things, these regulatory bodies impose restrictions to control air, soil, and water pollution, to protect against occupational exposure to chemicals, including health and safety risks, and to require notification or reporting of the storage, use, and release of certain hazardous substances into the environment. This extensive regulatory framework imposes significant compliance burdens and risks on us. In addition, these regulations may impose liability for the cost of removal or remediation of certain hazardous substances released on or in our facilities without regard to whether we knew of, or caused, the release of such substances. Furthermore, we are required to provide a place of employment that is free from recognized and preventable hazards that are likely to cause serious physical harm to employees, provide notice to employees regarding the presence of hazardous chemicals and to train employees in the use of such substances. Our operations require the use of a limited amount of chemicals and other materials for painting and cleaning that are classified under applicable laws as hazardous chemicals and substances. If we are found not to comply with any of these rules, regulations, or permits, we may be subject to fines, remediation expenses, and the obligation to change our business practice, any of which could result in substantial costs that would adversely affect our business operations and financial condition.
We may be subject to fines and disqualification for non-compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) regulations.
We are subject to regulation by the FAA under the provisions of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended. The FAA prescribes standards and licensing requirements for aircraft and aircraft components. We are subject to inspections by the FAA and may be subjected to fines and other penalties (including orders to cease production) for noncompliance with FAA regulations. Our failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in the termination of or our disqualification from some of our contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial condition.
If our subcontractors or suppliers fail to perform their contractual obligations, our contract performance, and our ability to obtain future business and our profitability could be materially and adversely impacted.
Most of our contracts involve subcontracts with other companies upon which we rely to perform a portion of the services that we must provide to our customers. There is a risk that we may have disputes with our subcontractors, including disputes regarding the quality and timeliness of work performed by the subcontractor, customer concerns about the subcontract, our failure to extend existing task orders or issue new task orders under a subcontract, our hiring of personnel of a subcontractor, or disputes concerning payment. A failure by one or more of our subcontractors to satisfactorily provide on a timely basis the agreed-upon supplies or perform the agreed-upon services may materially and adversely affect our ability to fulfill our obligations as the prime contractor. Subcontractor performance deficiencies could result in a customer eliminating our ability to progress bill or terminate our contract for default. A prohibition on progress billing may have an adverse effect upon our cash flow and profitability and a default termination could expose us to liability and have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete for future contracts and orders. In addition, a delay in our ability to obtain components and equipment parts from our suppliers may affect our ability to meet our customers’ needs and may have a material adverse effect upon our profitability.
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Due to fixed contract pricing, increasing contract costs exposes us to reduced profitability and the potential loss of future business.
Operating margin is adversely affected when contract costs that cannot be billed to customers are incurred. This cost growth can occur if estimates to complete a contract increase due to technical challenges or if initial estimates used for calculating the contract price were incorrect. The cost estimation process requires significant judgment and expertise. Reasons for cost growth may include unavailability and productivity of labor, the nature and complexity of the work to be performed, the effect of change orders, the availability and cost of materials, the effect of any delays in performance, availability, and timing of funding from the customer, natural disasters, pandemics, and the inability to recover any claims included in the estimates to complete. A significant increase in cost estimates on one or more programs could have a material adverse effect on our financial markets. Severalposition or results of operations.
We use estimates when accounting for contracts. Changes in estimates may affect our profitability and our overall financial position.
We primarily recognize revenue from our contracts over the contractual period pursuant to ASC 606. Pursuant to ASC 606, revenue and gross profit are recognized as work is performed based on the relationship between actual costs incurred and total estimated costs at the completion of the contract. Recognized revenues that will not be billed under the terms of the contract until a later date are recorded on our consolidated balance sheet as an asset captioned “Contract assets.” Contracts where billings to date have exceeded recognized revenues are recorded on our consolidated balance sheet as a liability captioned “Contract liabilities.” Changes to the original estimates may be required during the term of the contract. Estimates are reviewed quarterly and the effect of any change in the estimated gross margin percentage for a contract is reflected in the consolidated financial statements for the period the change becomes known. ASC 606 requires the use of considerable estimates in determining revenues and profits and in assigning the amounts to accounting periods. As a result, there can be a significant disparity between earnings (both for accounting and taxes) as reported and actual cash received by us during any reporting period.
We continually evaluate all the issues related to the assumptions, risks and uncertainties inherent with the application of ASC 606; however, there is no assurance that our estimates will be accurate. If our estimates are not accurate or a contract is terminated, we will be forced to adjust revenue in later periods. Furthermore, even if our estimates are accurate, we may have a shortfall in our cash flow and we may need to borrow money to pay for costs until the reported earnings materialize to actual cash receipts.
If the contracts associated with our backlog were terminated, our financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.
The maximum contract value specified under each contract that we enter is not necessarily indicative of the revenues that we will realize under that contract. Because we may not receive the full amount we expect under a contract, we may not accurately estimate our backlog because the earnings of revenues on programs included in backlog may never occur or may change. Cancellations of pending contracts or terminations or reductions of contracts in progress could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations.
We may be unable to attract and retain personnel who are key to our operations.
Our success, among other things, is dependent on our ability to attract and retain highly qualified senior officers and employees at all levels. Competition for key personnel is intense. Our ability to attract and retain senior officers and experienced, top rate employees is dependent on several factors, associated, directly or indirectly, with actual or potential military conflicts, terrorism, perceived nuclear, biologicalincluding prevailing market conditions and chemicalcompensation and cyber threats,benefit packages offered by companies competing for the same talent and other global political crisesour reputation in the industry. If our reputation is adversely affected, we may be unable to recruit, hire, and responses thereto,retain talented personnel. The inability to hire and retain these people may adversely affect our production operations and other aspects of our business.
We are subject to intense competition for the mixskilled technicians necessary to manufacture our products.
We are subject to intense competition for the services of products purchased by defense departments inskilled technicians necessary to manufacture our products. The demand for these individuals may increase as other manufacturers seek to bring to the U.S. or other countriesmanufacturing processes currently outsourced overseas. If the U.S. economy continues to platforms not serviced by us. A shift in defense budgets to product lines we do not produceundergo a period of inflation, our labor costs may increase which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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In readingWe are subject to the risk factors set forth below,cyclical nature of the commercial aerospace industry, and any future downturn in each case, consider the additional uncertainties caused by global events such as COVID-19 andcommercial aerospace industry or general economic conditions, including inflation could adversely impact the war in Ukraine and terrorist acts.demand for our products.
Our business may be affected by certain characteristics and trends of the commercial aerospace industry or general economic conditions that affect our customers, such as the current inflationary and high interest rate environment in the U.S. and the resultant impacts on the supply chain, the labor market and the general economy, as well as fluctuations in the aerospace industry’s business cycle, varying fuel and labor costs, intense price competition and regulatory scrutiny, certain trends, including a possible decrease in aviation activity and a decrease in outsourcing by aircraft manufacturers, or the failure of projected market growth to materialize or continue. If these characteristics and trends adversely affect customers in the commercial aerospace industry, they may reduce the overall demand for our products.
Our working capital requirements may negatively affect our liquidity and capital resources.
Our working capital requirements can vary significantly, depending in part on the timing of new program awards and the payment terms with our customers and suppliers. If our working capital needs exceed our cash flows from operations, we would look to our cash balances and availability for borrowings under our credit facility to satisfy those needs, as well as potential sources of additional capital, which may not be available on satisfactory terms and in adequate amounts, if at all. See “Risks Related to Our Indebtedness and Liquidity” below.
We incur risks associated with new programs.
New programs with new technologies typically carry risks associated with design changes, development of new production tools, increased capital and funding commitments, ability to meet customer specifications, delivery schedules and unique contractual requirements, supplier performance, ability of the customer to meet its contractual obligations to us, and our ability to accurately estimate costs associated with such programs. In addition, any new program may not generate sufficient demand or may experience technological problems or significant delays in the regulatory or other certification or manufacturing and delivery schedule. If we were unable to perform our obligations under new programs to the customer’s satisfaction, if we were unable to manufacture products at our estimated costs, or if a new program in which we had made a significant investment was terminated or experienced weak demand, delays, or technological problems, then our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. This risk includes the potential for default, quality problems, or inability to meet specifications, as well as our inability to negotiate final pricing for program changes and could result in low margin or forward loss contracts, and the risk of having to write-off contract assets if they were deemed to be unrecoverable. In addition, beginning new work on existing programs also carries risk associated with the transfer of technology, knowledge, and tooling.
To perform on new programs, we may be required to expend up-front costs which may not have been negotiated in our selling price. Additionally, we may have made margin assumptions related to those costs, that in the case of significant program delays and/or program cancellations, or if we are not successful in negotiating favorable margin on scope changes, could cause us to experience margin degradation which may be material, for costs that are not recoverable. Such charges and the loss of up-front costs could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity.
We are presently classified as a small business and the loss of our small business status may adversely affect our ability to compete for government contracts.
We are presently classified as a small business under the North American Industry Classification Systems (“NAICS”) industry and product specific codes that are regulated in the U.S. by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). We are not considered a small business under all NAICS codes. While we do not presently derive a substantial portion of our business from contracts that are set aside for small businesses, we are able to bid on small business set-aside contracts as well as contracts that are open to non-small business entities. As the NAICS codes are periodically revised, it is possible that we may lose our status as a small business. The loss of small business status would adversely affect our eligibility for special small business programs and limit our ability to collaborate with other business entities which are seeking to team with small business entities as may be required under a specific contract.
Cyber security attacks, internal system or service failures and technological changes, including the use of machine learning and generative artificial intelligence, may adversely impact our business and operations.
Any system or service disruptions, including those caused by projects to improve our information technology systems, if not anticipated and appropriately mitigated, could disrupt our business, and impair our ability to effectively provide products and related services to our customers and could have a material adverse effect on our business. We could also be subject to systems failures, including network, software, or hardware failures, whether caused by us, third-party service providers, intruders or hackers, computer viruses, natural disasters, power shortages, or terrorist attacks. Cyber security threats are evolving and include, but are not limited to, malicious software, phishing, and other unauthorized attempts to gain access to sensitive, confidential, or otherwise protected information related to us or our products, customers, or suppliers, or other acts that could lead to disruptions in our business. Because the techniques used by cyber-attackers to access or sabotage networks change frequently and may not be recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these tactics. Any such failures to prevent or mitigate cyber-attacks could cause loss of data and interruptions or delays in our business, cause us to incur remediation costs, or subject us to claims and damage our reputation. In addition, the failure or disruption of our communications or utilities could cause us to interrupt or suspend our operations or otherwise adversely affect our business. Although we utilize various procedures and controls to monitor and mitigate the risk of these threats, including contracting with an outside cyber security firm to provide constant monitoring of our systems, and training our employees to recognize attacks, there can be no assurance that these procedures and controls will be sufficient. Our property and business interruption insurance may be inadequate to compensate us for all losses that may occur because of any system or operational failure or disruption which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Moreover, expenditures incurred in implementing cyber security and other procedures and controls could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
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Our ability to utilize our tax benefits could be substantially limited if we fail to generate sufficient income or if we experience an “ownership change”.
As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately $74.7 million of gross net operating losses (“NOLs”) for federal tax purposes and approximately $17.3 million of post-apportionment NOLs for state tax purposes. As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020, NOLs arising before January 1, 2018, and NOLs arising after January 1, 2018, are subject to different rules. Our pre-2018 NOLs totaled approximately $60.3 million; these NOLs will expire in varying amounts from 2034 through 2039, if not utilized, and can offset 100% of future taxable income for regular tax purposes. Our NOLs arising in 2018, 2019 and 2020 can generally be carried back five years, carried forward indefinitely and can offset 100% of taxable income for tax years before January 1, 2021 and up to 80% of taxable income for tax years after December 31, 2020. Any NOLs arising on or after January 1, 2021, cannot be carried back, can generally be carried forward indefinitely and can offset up to 80% of future taxable income.
Our ability to fully recognize the benefits from our NOLs is dependent upon our ability to generate sufficient income prior to their expiration. In addition, our NOL carryforwards may be limited if we experience an ownership change as defined by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (“Section 382”). In general, an ownership change under Section 382 occurs if 5% shareholders increase their collective ownership of the aggregate amount of our outstanding shares by more than 50 percentage points over a relevant lookback period. The Company completed a Section 382 analysis for the year ended December 31, 2022, and believes that no ownership change occurred during the relevant lookback period through December 31, 2023 that would limit our ability to use our NOLs.
Product liability claims in excess of insurance could adversely affect our financial results and financial condition.
We face potential liability for property damage, personal injury, or death as a result of the failure of products designed or manufactured by us. Although we currently maintain product liability insurance (including aircraft product liability insurance), any material product liability not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
Increased scrutiny from investors, lenders, regulators and other market participants regarding our environmental, social, governance, sustainability or climate responsibilities could expose us to additional costs and adversely impact our liquidity, results of operations, reputation, employee retention, and stock price.
There is an increasing focus from certain investors, customers, and other key stakeholders concerning corporate responsibility, specifically related to environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors. Some investors may use ESG criteria to guide their investment strategies and, in some cases, may choose not to invest in us if they believe our policies relating to corporate responsibilities are inadequate.
The ESG factors by which companies’ corporate responsibility practices are assessed may change. This could result in greater expectations of us and cause us to undertake costly initiatives to satisfy such new criteria. If we are unable to satisfy the new corporate responsibility criteria, investors may view our policies related to corporate responsibility as inadequate. We risk damage to our reputation in the event our corporate responsibility procedures or goals do not meet the standards or goals set by various constituencies. In addition, if our competitors’ corporate responsibility performance is perceived to be greater than ours, potential or current investors may elect to invest in our competitors instead. Further, in the event we communicate certain initiatives or goals related to ESG, we could fail, or be perceived to have failed, in our achievement of such initiatives or goals. If we fail to satisfy the expectations of investors and other key stakeholders, or our initiatives are not executed as planned, our reputation, employee retention, and willingness of our customers and suppliers to do business with us, financial results, and stock price could be materially and adversely affected.
Risks Related to Our Indebtedness and Liquidity
We obtained amendments to and received waivers of and consents to non-compliance with certain covenants under our credit facility with BankUnited and there can be no assurance that we will not fall out of compliance with our covenants in the future.
The Company was not in compliance with certain financial covenants under our credit facility (the “BankUnited Facility” or the “Credit Agreement”) with BankUnited, N.A. (“BankUnited”) for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, and financial statement submission covenants for the quarters ended March 31, 2022 and June 30, 2022 and obtained amendments to and received waivers of and consents to the non-compliance, as described in more detail in Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. There can be no assurance that we will be in compliance with our covenants in the future or that BankUnited will grant further waivers if we fall out of compliance or consents to future non-compliance. If we fall out of compliance with our banking covenants, BankUnited may declare a default under the BankUnited Facility and, among other remedies, could declare the full amount of the BankUnited Facility immediately due and payable and could foreclose against our collateral. If this were to occur, we may be unable to secure outside financing, if needed, to fund ongoing operations and for other capital needs. Any sources of financing that may be available to us could also be at higher costs and require us to satisfy more restrictive covenants, which could limit or restrict our operations, cash flows, and earnings. We cannot ensure that additional financing would be available to us or be sufficient or available on satisfactory terms.
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Our capital requirements, liquidity and financial condition raise significant risks as to our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our working capital requirements can vary significantly, depending in part on the timing of the conclusion of mature programs and new program awards and the payment terms with our customers and suppliers. There is currently no availability for borrowings under the BankUnited Facility and the Company finances its operations from internally generated cash flow. Notes 8 and 9 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II - Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K includes a discussion regarding the BankUnited Facility and recent amendments thereto.
Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming we will continue to operate as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. If we become unable to continue as a going concern, we may have to liquidate our assets and the values we receive for our assets in liquidation or dissolution could be significantly lower than the values reflected in our consolidated financial statements. It is management’s estimation that there will likely not be any individual conditions or combination of events that will occur in the coming year which would cause the Company to be unable to continue as a going concern.
Our cost of borrowing under the Credit Agreement is based on the Prime Rate of interest per annum published in the Money Rates section of The Wall Street Journal (the “Prime Rate”) plus the margin charged by our lender, and increases in the Prime Rate negatively impact our profitability.
Interest rates under our Credit Agreement are based on the Prime Rate, and as a result, we have exposure to interest rate risk. Certain central banks, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve, effected multiple interest rate increases in 2022 and 2023. Increases in interest rates increase our cost of borrowing and/or potentially make it more difficult to refinance our existing indebtedness.
We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting over a number of years which adversely affected our ability to report our financial condition and results of operations in a timely and accurate manner. The material weaknesses led to multiple restatements of our consolidated financial statements. The material weaknesses and restatements have resulted in our failure to meet SEC reporting obligations, affected and may continue to affect investor confidence, our stock price and our ability to raise capital in the future, and have resulted and may continue to result in stockholder litigation.
We have reported material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and did not maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures for reporting periods from 2018 through September 2023. The material weaknesses led to our restatement of our consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and the years ended December 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Although these material weaknesses have been remediated as of December 31, 2023, these material weaknesses and restatements have affected investor confidence, our stock price, and resulted in the past in our failure to meet various SEC reporting requirements and stockholder litigation.
As described in Item 9A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting of income taxes, which led to the restatement within Note 11 “Income Taxes” of the financial statements within this Annual Report on Form 10-K the Company’s December 31, 2022 deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities balances. The Company is in the process of remediating this material weakness.
If a future failure in internal control should occur, it may cause us to fail to meet SEC reporting obligations, negatively affect the accuracy of our financial statements and disclosures, investor and customer confidence, our ability to raise capital in the future and result in events of default under our banking agreement, any of which could have a negative effect on the price of our common stock, subject us to regulatory investigations and penalties and additional stockholder litigation, and have a material adverse impact on our business and financial condition.
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Risks Related to Our Business
We depend on government contracts for a significant portion of our revenues.
We are a supplier, either directly or as a subcontractor, to the U.S. Government and its agencies. We depend on government contracts for a significant portion of our business. If we are suspended or barred from contracting with the U.S. Government, if our reputation or relationship with individual federal agencies were impaired, whether due to the restatements and errors in our financial statements or otherwise, or if the U.S. Government otherwise ceased doing business with us or significantly decreased the amount of business it does with us, our business, prospects, financial condition, and operating results would be materially adversely affected.
We face risks relating to government contracts.
The funding of U.S. Government programs is subject to congressional budget authorization and appropriation processes. For many programs, the U.S. Congress appropriates funds on a fiscal year basis even though a program may extend over several fiscal years. Consequently, programs are often only partially funded initially and additional funds are committed only as Congress makes further appropriations. Appropriations are driven by numerous factors, including geopolitical events, macroeconomic conditions, the ability of the U.S. Government to enact relevant legislation, such as appropriations bills and continuing resolutions, and the threat or existence of a government shutdown.shutdown and potential downgrades of the United States’ credit rating, and risks relating to the upcoming U.S. Government appropriations for our programs and for defense spending generally may be impacted or delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic as governmental priorities and finances change.presidential election. We cannot predict the extent to which total funding and/or funding for individual programs will be included, increased or reduced in budgets approved by Congress or be included in the scope of separate supplemental appropriations. In the event that appropriations for any of our programs becomes unavailable, or is reduced or delayed, our contract or subcontract under such program may be terminated or adjusted by the U.S. Government, which could have a material adverse effect on our future sales under such program, and on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
We also cannot predict the impact of potential changes in priorities due to military transformation and planning and/or the nature of war-related activity on existing, follow-on, or replacement programs. A shift of government priorities to programs in which we do not participate and/or reductions in funding for or the termination of programs in which we do participate, unless offset by other programs and opportunities, could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
In addition, the U.S. Government generally has the ability to terminate contracts, completely or in part, without prior notice, for convenience or for default based on performance. In the event of termination for the U.S. Government’s convenience, contractors are generally protected by provisions covering reimbursement for costs incurred on the contracts and profit on those costs but not the anticipated profit that would have been earned had the contract been completed. Termination by the U.S. Government of a contract for convenience could also result in the cancellation of future work on that program. Termination by the U.S. Government of a contract due to our default could require us to pay for re-procurement costs in excess of the original contract price, net of the value of work accepted from the original contract. Termination of a contract due to our default may expose us to liability and could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete for contracts. Additionally, we are a subcontractor on some U.S. Government contracts. In these arrangements, the U.S. Government could terminate the prime contract for convenience or otherwise, without regard to our performance as a subcontractor. We can give no assurance that we would be awarded new U.S. Government contracts to offset the revenues lost as a result of the termination of any of our U.S. Government contracts.
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We have risks associated with competing in the bidding process for contracts.
We obtain many of our contracts through a competitive bidding process. In the bidding process, we face the following risks:
● | we must bid on programs in advance of their completion, which may result in unforeseen technological difficulties or cost overruns; |
● | we must devote substantial time and effort to prepare bids and proposals for competitively awarded contracts that may not be awarded to us; and |
● | awarded contracts may not generate sales sufficient to result in profitability. |
Further consolidation in the aerospace industry could adversely affect our business and financial results.
The aerospace and defenseA&D industry is experiencinghas experienced significant consolidation, including among our customers, competitors, and suppliers. While we believe we have positioned our Company to take advantage of opportunities to market to a broad customer base, which we believe will reduce the potential impact of industry consolidation, there can be no assurance that industry consolidation will not impact our business. Consolidation among our customers may result in delays in the awarding of new contracts and losses of existing business. Consolidation among our competitors may result in larger competitors with greater resources and market share, which could adversely affect our ability to compete successfully. Consolidation among our suppliers may result in fewer sources of supply and increased costcosts to us.
We depend upon a select base of large prime defense contractors for the majority of our revenue, which subjects us to unique risks which may adversely affect us.
We currently generate a majority of our revenues by producing products for numerous programs under contracts with three prime defense contractors to the U.S. Government. These significant customers – Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and RaytheonNGC – constituted approximately 32%30%, 22%26% and 19%12%, respectively of our 20212023 revenue. Our revenues from these customers are diversified over a number ofseveral different aerospace and defenseA&D products, programs, and subsidiaries within these customers, however, any significant change in production rates by any of these customers would have a material effect on our results of operations and cash flows. There is no assurance that our current significant customers will continue to buy products from us at current levels, that we will retain any or all of our existing significant customers, or that we will be able to form new relationships with other customers upon the loss of one or more of our existing significant customers.
We are subject to strict governmental regulations relating to the environment, which could result in fines and remediation expenseexpenses in the event of non-compliance.
We are required to comply with extensive and frequently changing environmental regulations at the federal, state, and local levels. Among other things, these regulatory bodies impose restrictions to control air, soil, and water pollution, to protect against occupational exposure to chemicals, including health and safety risks, and to require notification or reporting of the storage, use, and release of certain hazardous substances into the environment. This extensive regulatory framework imposes significant compliance burdens and risks on us. In addition, these regulations may impose liability for the cost of removal or remediation of certain hazardous substances released on or in our facilities without regard to whether we knew of, or caused, the release of such substances. Furthermore, we are required to provide a place of employment that is free from recognized and preventable hazards that are likely to cause serious physical harm to employees, provide notice to employees regarding the presence of hazardous chemicals and to train employees in the use of such substances. Our operations require the use of a limited amount of chemicals and other materials for painting and cleaning that are classified under applicable laws as hazardous chemicals and substances. If we are found not to comply with any of these rules, regulations, or permits, we may be subject to fines, remediation expenses, and the obligation to change our business practice, any of which could result in substantial costs that would adversely affect our business operations and financial condition.
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We may be subject to fines and disqualification for non-compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) regulations.
We are subject to regulation by the FAA under the provisions of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended. The FAA prescribes standards and licensing requirements for aircraft and aircraft components. We are subject to inspections by the FAA and may be subjected to fines and other penalties (including orders to cease production) for noncompliance with FAA regulations. Our failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in the termination of or our disqualification from some of our contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial condition.
If our subcontractors or suppliers fail to perform their contractual obligations, our contract performance, and our ability to obtain future business and our profitability could be materially and adversely impacted.
Most of our contracts involve subcontracts with other companies upon which we rely to perform a portion of the services that we must provide to our customers. There is a risk that we may have disputes with our subcontractors, including disputes regarding the quality and timeliness of work performed by the subcontractor, customer concerns about the subcontract, our failure to extend existing task orders or issue new task orders under a subcontract, our hiring of personnel of a subcontractor, or disputes concerning payment. A failure by one or more of our subcontractors to satisfactorily provide on a timely basis the agreed-upon supplies or perform the agreed-upon services may materially and adversely affect our ability to performfulfill our obligations as the prime contractor. Subcontractor performance deficiencies could result in a customer eliminating our ability to progress bill or terminatingterminate our contract for default. A prohibition on progress billing may have an adverse effect upon our cash flow and profitability and a default termination could expose us to liability and have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete for future contracts and orders. In addition, a delay in our ability to obtain components and equipment parts from our suppliers may affect our ability to meet our customers’ needs and may have a material adverse effect upon our profitability. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted, and continues to impact, our supply chain, as described above.
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Due to fixed contract pricing, increasing contract costs exposes us to reduced profitability and the potential loss of future business.
Operating margin is adversely affected when contract costs that cannot be billed to customers are incurred. This cost growth can occur if estimates to complete a contract increase due to technical challenges or if initial estimates used for calculating the contract price were incorrect. The cost estimation process requires significant judgment and expertise. Reasons for cost growth may include unavailability and productivity of labor, the nature and complexity of the work to be performed, the effect of change orders, the availability and cost of materials, the effect of any delays in performance, availability, and timing of funding from the customer, natural disasters, pandemics, and the inability to recover any claims included in the estimates to complete. A significant increase in cost estimates on one or more programs could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.
We use estimates when accounting for contracts. Changes in estimates may affect our profitability and our overall financial position.
We primarily recognize revenue from our contracts over the contractual period pursuant to ASC 606. Pursuant to ASC 606, revenue and gross profit are recognized as work is performed based on the relationship between actual costs incurred and total estimated costs at the completion of the contract. Recognized revenues that will not be billed under the terms of the contract until a later date are recorded on our consolidated balance sheet as an asset captioned “Contract assets.” Contracts where billings to date have exceeded recognized revenues are recorded on our consolidated balance sheet as a liability captioned “Contract liabilities.” Changes to the original estimates may be required during the term of the contract. Estimates are reviewed quarterly and the effect of any change in the estimated gross margin percentage for a contract is reflected in the consolidated financial statements infor the period the change becomes known. ASC 606 requires the use of considerable estimates in determining revenues and profits and in assigning the amounts to accounting periods. As a result, there can be a significant disparity between earnings (both for accounting and taxes) as reported and actual cash received by us during any reporting period.
We continually evaluate all of the issues related to the assumptions, risks and uncertainties inherent with the application of ASC 606; however, there is no assurance that our estimates will be accurate. If our estimates are not accurate or a contract is terminated, we will be forced to adjust revenue in later periods. Furthermore, even if our estimates are accurate, we may have a shortfall in our cash flow and we may need to borrow money to pay for costs until the reported earnings materialize to actual cash receipts.
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If the contracts associated with our backlog were terminated, our financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.
The maximum contract value specified under each contract that we enter into is not necessarily indicative of the revenues that we will realize under that contract. Because we may not receive the full amount we expect under a contract, we may not accurately estimate our backlog because the earnings of revenues on programs included in backlog may never occur or may change. Cancellations of pending contracts or terminations or reductions of contracts in progress wouldcould have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations.
We may be unable to attract and retain personnel who are key to our operations.
Our success, among other things, is dependent on our ability to attract and retain highly qualified senior officers and engineers.employees at all levels. Competition for key personnel is intense. Our ability to attract and retain senior officers and experienced, top rate engineersemployees is dependent on a number ofseveral factors, including prevailing market conditions and compensation and benefit packages offered by companies competing for the same talent and our reputation in the industry. If our reputation is adversely affected, for instance due to our handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, we may be unable to recruit, hire, and retain talented personnel. The inability to hire and retain these personspeople may adversely affect our production operations and other aspects of our business.
We are subject to intense competition for the skilled technicians necessary to manufacture our products.
We are subject to intense competition for the services of skilled technicians necessary to manufacture our products and those of other companies in the A&D industry.products. The demand for these individuals may increase as other manufacturers seek to bring to the U.S. manufacturing processes currently outsourced overseas. If the U.S. economy undergoescontinues to undergo a period of inflation, our labor costs may increase which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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We are subject to the cyclical nature of the commercial aerospace industry, and any future downturn in the commercial aerospace industry or general economic conditions, including related to COVID-19,inflation could adversely impact the demand for our products.
Our business may be affected by certain characteristics and trends of the commercial aerospace industry or general economic conditions that affect our customers, such as the current inflationary and high interest rate environment in the U.S. and the resultant impacts on the supply chain, the labor market and the general economy, as well as fluctuations in the aerospace industry’s business cycle, varying fuel and labor costs, intense price competition and regulatory scrutiny, certain trends, including a possible decrease in aviation activity and a decrease in outsourcing by aircraft manufacturers, or the failure of projected market growth to materialize or continue. In the event thatIf these characteristics and trends adversely affect customers in the commercial aerospace industry, they may reduce the overall demand for our products. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted, and continues to impact, the commercial aerospace industry, as described above.
Our working capital requirements may negatively affect our liquidity and capital resources.
Our working capital requirements can vary significantly, depending in part on the timing of new program awards and the payment terms with our customers and suppliers. If our working capital needs exceed our cash flows from operations, we would look to our cash balances and availability for borrowings under the BankUnitedour credit facility to satisfy those needs, as well as potential sources of additional capital, which may not be available on satisfactory terms and in adequate amounts, if at all. See “Risks Related to Our Indebtedness and Liquidity” below.
We incur risks associated with new programs.
New programs with new technologies typically carry risks associated with design changes, development of new production tools, increased capital and funding commitments, ability to meet customer specifications, delivery schedules and unique contractual requirements, supplier performance, ability of the customer to meet its contractual obligations to us, and our ability to accurately estimate costs associated with such programs. In addition, any new program may not generate sufficient demand or may experience technological problems or significant delays in the regulatory or other certification or manufacturing and delivery schedule. If we were unable to perform our obligations under new programs to the customer’s satisfaction, if we were unable to manufacture products at our estimated costs, or if a new program in which we had made a significant investment was terminated or experienced weak demand, delays, or technological problems, then our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. This risk includes the potential for default, quality problems, or inability to meet specifications, as well as our inability to negotiate final pricing for program changes and could result in low margin or forward loss contracts, and the risk of having to write-off contract assets if they were deemed to be unrecoverable. In addition, beginning new work on existing programs also carries risk associated with the transfer of technology, knowledge, and tooling.
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In order toTo perform on new programs, we may be required to expend up-front costs which may not have been negotiated in our selling price. Additionally, we may have made margin assumptions related to those costs, that in the case of significant program delays and/or program cancellations, or if we are not successful in negotiating favorable margin on scope changes, could cause us to experience margin degradation which may be material, for costs that are not recoverable. Such charges and the loss of up-front costs could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity.
We are presently classified as a small business and the loss of our small business status may adversely affect our ability to compete for government contracts.
We are presently classified as a small business under the North American Industry Classification Systems (“NAICS”) industry and product specific codes that are regulated in the U.S. by the Small Business Administration.Administration (“SBA”). We are not considered a small business under all NAICS codes. While we do not presently derive a substantial portion of our business from contracts that are set-asideset aside for small businesses, we are able to bid on small business set-aside contracts as well as contracts that are open to non-small business entities. As the NAICS codes are periodically revised, it is possible that we may lose our status as a small business. The loss of small business status would adversely affect our eligibility for special small business programs and limit our ability to collaborate with other business entities which are seeking to team with small business entities as may be required under a specific contract.
Cyber security attacks, internal system or service failures and technological changes, including the use of machine learning and generative artificial intelligence, may adversely impact our business and operations.
Any system or service disruptions, including those caused by projects to improve our information technology systems, if not anticipated and appropriately mitigated, could disrupt our business, and impair our ability to effectively provide products and related services to our customers and could have a material adverse effect on our business. We could also be subject to systems failures, including network, software, or hardware failures, whether caused by us, third-party service providers, intruders or hackers, computer viruses, natural disasters, power shortages, or terrorist attacks. Cyber security threats are evolving and include, but are not limited to, malicious software, phishing, and other unauthorized attempts to gain access to sensitive, confidential, or otherwise protected information related to us or our products, customers, or suppliers, or other acts that could lead to disruptions in our business. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many of our non-manufacturing employees to shift to work-from-home arrangements at times, which increases our vulnerability to email phishing, social engineering or “hacking” through our remote networks, and similar cyber-attacks aimed at employees working remotely. Because the techniques used by cyber-attackers to access or sabotage networks change frequently and may not be recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these tactics. Any such failures to prevent or mitigate cyber-attacks could cause loss of data and interruptions or delays in our business, cause us to incur remediation costs, or subject us to claims and damage our reputation. In addition, the failure or disruption of our communications or utilities could cause us to interrupt or suspend our operations or otherwise adversely affect our business. Although we utilize various procedures and controls to monitor and mitigate the risk of these threats, including contracting with an outside cyber security firm to provide constant monitoring of our systems, and training our employees to recognize attacks, there can be no assurance that these procedures and controls will be sufficient. Our property and business interruption insurance may be inadequate to compensate us for all losses that may occur as a resultbecause of any system or operational failure or disruption which wouldcould adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Moreover, expenditures incurred in implementing cyber security and other procedures and controls could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
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Our financial results may be adversely impacted by the failure to successfully execute or integrate acquisitions and joint ventures.
The Company may evaluate potential acquisitions or joint ventures that align with our strategic objectives. The success of such activity depends, in part, upon our ability to identify suitable sellers or business partners, perform effective assessments prior to contract execution, negotiate contract terms, and, if applicable, obtain customer and government approval. These activities may present certain financial, managerial, staffing and talent, and operational risks, including diversion of management’s attention from existing core businesses, difficulties integrating or separating businesses from existing operations, and challenges presented by acquisitions or joint ventures which may not achieve sales levels and profitability that justify the investments made. If the acquisitions or joint ventures are not successfully implemented or completed, there could be a negative impact on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our ability to utilize our tax benefits could be substantially limited if we fail to generate sufficient income or if we experience an “ownership change.”change”.
As of December 31, 2021,2023, we had approximately $81.9$74.7 million of gross net operating losses (“NOLs”) for federal tax purposes and approximately $40.5$17.3 million of post-apportionment NOLs for state tax purposes. As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020, NOLs arising before January 1, 2018, and NOLs arising after January 1, 2018, are subject to different rules. Our pre-2018 NOLs totaled approximately $78.9$60.3 million; these NOLs will expire in varying amounts from 2034 through 2039, if not utilized, and can offset 100% of future taxable income for regular tax purposes. Our NOLs arising in 2018, 2019 and 2020 can generally be carried back five years, carried forward indefinitely and can offset 100% of taxable income for tax years before January 1, 2021 and up to 80% of taxable income for tax years after December 31, 2020. Any NOLs arising on or after January 1, 2021, cannot be carried back, can generally be carried forward indefinitely and can offset up to 80% of future taxable income.
Our ability to fully recognize the benefits from our NOLs is dependent upon our ability to generate sufficient income prior to their expiration. In addition, our NOL carryforwards may be limited if we experience an ownership change as defined by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (“Section 382”). In general, an ownership change under Section 382 occurs if 5% shareholders increase their collective ownership of the aggregate amount of our outstanding shares by more than 50 percentage points over a relevant lookback period. ForThe Company completed a Section 382 analysis for the year ended December 31, 2021 we have determined2022, and believes that no ownership change occurred during the relevant lookback period through December 31, 2023 that would limit our ability to use our NOLs, howeverNOLs.
Product liability claims in excess of insurance could adversely affect our financial results and financial condition.
We face potential liability for property damage, personal injury, or death as a result of the salefailure of additional equity securities in the future may trigger an ownership change under Section 382 whichproducts designed or manufactured by us. Although we currently maintain product liability insurance (including aircraft product liability insurance), any material product liability not covered by insurance could significantly limithave a material adverse effect on our ability to utilize our tax benefits.financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
Increased scrutiny from investors, lenders, regulators and other market participants regarding our environmental, social, and governance, sustainability or sustainabilityclimate responsibilities could expose us to additional costs and adversely impact our liquidity, results of operations, reputation, employee retention, and stock price.
There is an increasing focus from certain investors, customers, and other key stakeholders concerning corporate responsibility, specifically related to environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors. Some investors may use ESG criteria to guide their investment strategies and, in some cases, may choose not to invest in us if they believe our policies relating to corporate responsibilities are inadequate.
The ESG factors by which companies’ corporate responsibility practices are assessed may change. This could result in greater expectations of us and cause us to undertake costly initiatives to satisfy such new criteria. If we are unable to satisfy the new corporate responsibility criteria, investors may view our policies related to corporate responsibility as inadequate. We risk damage to our reputation in the event our corporate responsibility procedures or goals do not meet the standards or goals set by various constituencies. In addition, if our competitors’ corporate responsibility performance is perceived to be greater than ours, potential or current investors may elect to invest in our competitors instead. Further, in the event we communicate certain initiatives or goals related to ESG, we could fail, or be perceived to have failed, in our achievement of such initiatives or goals. If we fail to satisfy the expectations of investors and other key stakeholders, or our initiatives are not executed as planned, our reputation, employee retention, and willingness of our customers and suppliers to do business with us, financial results, and stock price could be materially and adversely affected.
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Risks Related to Our Indebtedness and Liquidity
We obtained amendments to and received waivers of and consents to non-compliance with certain covenants under our credit facility with BankUnited and there can be no assurance that we will not fall out of compliance with our covenants in the future.
The Company was not in compliance with certain financial covenants under itsour credit facility (the “BankUnited Facility” or the “Credit Agreement”) with BankUnited, N.A. (“BankUnited”) for the year ended December 31, 2020,the quarter ended March 31, 2021, the year ended December 31, 2021 and the quarter ended March 31, 2022, and financial statement submission covenants for the year ended December 31, 2020, the quarters ended March 31, 2021, June 30, 2021 and September 30, 2021, the year ended December 31, 2021 and the quarters ended March 31, 2022 and June 30, 2022 and obtained amendments to and received waivers of and consents to the non-compliance, as described in more detail in Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. There can be no assurance that we will be in compliance with our covenants in the future or that BankUnited will grant further waivers if we fall out of compliance or consents to future non-compliance. If we fall out of compliance with our banking covenants, BankUnited may declare a default under the BankUnited Facility and, among other remedies, could declare the full amount of the BankUnited Facility immediately due and payable and could foreclose against our collateral. If this were to occur, we may be unable to secure outside financing, if needed, to fund ongoing operations and for other capital needs. Any sources of financing that may be available to us could also be at higher costs and require us to satisfy more restrictive covenants, which could limit or restrict our operations, cash flows, and earnings. We cannot ensure that additional financing would be available to us or be sufficient or available on satisfactory terms.
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Our capital requirements, liquidity and financial condition raise significant riskrisks as to our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our working capital requirements can vary significantly, depending in part on the timing of the conclusion of mature programs and new program awards and the payment terms with our customers and suppliers. There is currently no availability for borrowings under our credit facility (the “BankUnited Facility”)the BankUnited Facility and the Company finances its operations from internally generated cash flow. NoteNotes 8 and 9 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II - Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K includes a discussion regarding the BankUnited Facility and recent amendments thereto which provide, among other things, for increases in principal payments and the interest rate on the loans provided for therein. Also, the Company currently has a shareholders’ deficit and has experienced losses from operations and negative cash flows from operations in prior periods. These factors collectively represent significant risk to the Company’s ability to continue to operate as a going concern and management has assessed these risks. Based upon this assessment and the execution of the plans described in Part II Item 7 - Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Business Outlook - Liquidity, it is management’s estimation that there will likely not be any individual conditions or combination of events that will occur in the coming year which would cause the Company to be unable to meet its obligations or otherwise continue as a going concern. However, we cannot ensure that such plans will accomplish their intended goals.thereto.
Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming we will continue to operate as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. If we become unable to continue as a going concern, we may have to liquidate our assets and the values we receive for our assets in liquidation or dissolution could be significantly lower than the values reflected in our consolidated financial statements. It is management’s estimation that there will likely not be any individual conditions or combination of events that will occur in the coming year which would cause the Company to be unable to continue as a going concern.
Our cost of borrowing under the Credit Agreement is based on the Prime Rate of interest per annum published in the Money Rates section of The Wall Street Journal (the “Prime Rate”) plus the margin charged by our lender, and increases in the Prime Rate negatively impact our profitability.
Interest rates under our Credit Agreement are based on the Prime Rate, and as a result, we have exposure to interest rate risk. Certain central banks, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve, effected multiple interest rate increases in 2022 and 2023. Increases in interest rates increase our cost of borrowing and/or potentially make it more difficult to refinance our existing indebtedness.
We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting over a number of years which adversely affected our ability to report our financial condition and results of operations in a timely and accurate manner. The material weaknesses led to multiple restatements of our consolidated financial statements. The material weaknesses and restatements have resulted in our failure to meet SEC reporting obligations, affected and may continue to affect investor confidence, our stock price and our ability to raise capital in the future, and have resulted and may continue to result in stockholder litigation.
We have reported material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and did not maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures for reporting periods from 2018 through September 2023. The material weaknesses led to our restatement of our consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and the years ended December 31, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Although these material weaknesses have been remediated as of December 31, 2023, these material weaknesses and restatements have affected investor confidence, our stock price, and resulted in the past in our failure to meet various SEC reporting requirements and stockholder litigation.
As described in Item 9A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting of income taxes, which led to the restatement within Note 11 “Income Taxes” of the financial statements within this Annual Report on Form 10-K the Company’s December 31, 2022 deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities balances. The Company is in the process of remediating this material weakness.
If a future failure in internal control should occur, it may cause us to fail to meet SEC reporting obligations, negatively affect the accuracy of our financial statements and disclosures, investor and customer confidence, our ability to raise capital in the future and result in events of default under our banking agreement, any of which could have a negative effect on the price of our common stock, subject us to regulatory investigations and penalties and additional stockholder litigation, and have a material adverse impact on our business and financial condition.
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Risks Related to Global Events
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, and the retaliatory measures imposed by the U.S., United Kingdom, European Union and other countries and the responses of Russia to such measures have caused significant disruptions to domestic and foreign economies.
The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation had an immediate impact on the global economy resulting in higher prices for oil and other commodities. The U.S., United Kingdom, European Union, and other countries responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by imposing various economic sanctions and bans. Russia has responded with its own retaliatory measures. These measures have impacted the availability and price of certain raw materials and transportation costs. The invasion and retaliatory measures also disrupted economic markets. The global impact of these measures is continually evolving and cannot be predicted with certainty and there is no assurance that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and responses thereto will not further disrupt the global economy and supply chain. Further, there is no assurance that even when the invasion of Ukraine ceases, that nations will not continue to impose sanctions and bans on other nations.
While these events have not interrupted our operations or materially impacted our ability to obtain raw materials, these or future developments resulting from the invasion of Ukraine such as a cyberattack on the U.S., us or our suppliers, could make it difficult for or increase the cost of certain raw materials and transportation costs, or make it difficult to access debt and equity capital on attractive terms, if at all, and impact our ability to fund business activities and repay debt on a timely basis.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may alter countries’ willingness to rely on others as the source of certain products and material.
Historically, prime contractors and OEMs in the U.S. A&D industry have relied upon suppliers outside the U.S. for products and raw materials. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the economic disruption resulting from retaliatory measures may cause many of these companies to rethink these strategies and seek sources of supply within the U.S. To the extent they do so, it could disrupt domestic markets for raw materials and supplies, and the market for the skilled laborers we need to manufacture our products.
We cannot forecast with any certainty whether the disruptions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, restrictions imposed by various governments in response thereto and resulting changes in business practices, may materially impact our business and our consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
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The conflict between Israel and Hamas, rising tensions between China and Taiwan, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, and terrorist acts and acts of war may seriously harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
U.S. and global responses to actual or potential military conflicts such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, terrorism, perceived nuclear, biological, and chemical threats and other global political crises increase uncertainties with respect to the U.S. and other business and financial markets. Several factors associated, directly or indirectly, with actual or potential military conflicts, terrorism, perceived nuclear, biological, and chemical and cyber threats, and other global political crises and responses thereto, may adversely affect the mix of products purchased by defense departments in the U.S. or other countries to platforms not serviced by us. A shift in defense budgets to product lines we do not produce could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Item 1B. | UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS |
Not applicable.
Item 1C. | CYBERSECURITY |
Cybersecurity risk management is an important part of our overall risk management efforts. We maintain a cybersecurity program that is comprised of policies, procedures, controls and plans whose objective is to help us prevent and effectively respond to cybersecurity threats or incidents. Through our cybersecurity risk management process, we continuously monitor cybersecurity vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors to company systems. We maintain various measures to safeguard against cybersecurity threats such as monitoring systems, security controls, policy enforcement, data encryption, employee training, tools and services from third-party providers and management oversight to assess, identify and mitigate risks from cybersecurity threats. We conduct regular testing of these controls and systems including vulnerability scanning, penetration testing and simulating the execution of parts of our disaster recovery plan. All employees are required to pass a mandatory cybersecurity training course on an annual basis and we regularly conduct phishing simulations to train our employees on how to recognize phishing attempts.
We have implemented cybersecurity frameworks, policies and practices which incorporate industry-standards and contractual requirements. We also contractually flow cybersecurity regulatory requirements to our subcontractors as required by the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement and other government agency specific requirements. These contractual flow downs include the requirement that our subcontractors implement certain information security controls. Additionally, we gather information and review the SOC-2 reports of certain third-parties who integrate with our systems, such as our payroll processor, managed solutions provider and software as a service providers on an annual basis to identify and manage risk. We continuously evaluate and seek to improve and mature our cybersecurity processes. We apply lessons learned from our defense and monitoring efforts to help prevent future attacks and utilize data analytics to detect anomalies and search for cyber threats. Additionally, our Internal Audit function regularly assesses our program effectiveness through audits of systems and processes to help maintain compliance with policies.
Cybersecurity threats of all types, such as attacks from computer hackers, cyber criminals, nation-state actors, social engineering and other malicious internet-based activities, continue to increase. We believe that our current preventative actions and response planning provide adequate measures of protection against cybersecurity risks. While we have implemented measures to safeguard our information technology systems, the evolving nature of cybersecurity attacks and vulnerabilities means that these protections may not always be effective. In 2023, we did not identify any cybersecurity threats that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. However, despite our efforts, we cannot eliminate all risks from cybersecurity threats, or provide assurances that we have not experienced undetected cybersecurity incidents. For additional information about these risks, see Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Governance
Our board of directors has oversight of our strategic and business risk management and oversees management’s execution of our cybersecurity risk management program. The board receives regular updates from management on our cybersecurity risks. In addition, management updates the board as necessary, regarding any material cybersecurity incidents, as well as incidents with lesser impact potential. Management is responsible for identifying, assessing, and managing cybersecurity risks on an ongoing basis, establishing processes to ensure that such potential cybersecurity risk exposures are monitored, putting in place appropriate mitigation measures, maintaining cybersecurity policies and procedures, and providing regular reports to our board of directors. In the event of an incident, we intend to follow our incident response plan, which outlines the steps to be followed from incident detection to mitigation, recovery and notification, including notifying functional areas (e.g. legal), as well as senior leadership and the board, as appropriate.
Our Vice President of Human Resources & Administration (“VP HR&A”) leads our cybersecurity program and is responsible for our overall information security strategy, policy, security engineering, operations and cyber threat detection and response. The VP HR&A manages a team of information technology professionals with broad experience, including in cybersecurity threat assessments and detection, mitigation technologies, incident response, insider threats and regulatory compliance.
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Our cybersecurity program is regularly assessed through management self-evaluation and ongoing monitoring procedures to evaluate our program effectiveness, including assessments associated with internal controls over financial reporting as well as vulnerability management through active discovery and testing to validate patching and configuration.
Item 2. | PROPERTIES |
CPI Aero’s executive offices and production facilities arefacility is situated in an approximately 171,000 square foot building located at 91 Heartland Blvd., Edgewood, New York 11717. We use approximately 131,000 square feet of this building for manufacturing space and 40,000 square feet for offices and laboratories for engineering and design work. CPI Aero occupies this facility under a lease that expires on April 30, 2026.
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Item 3. | LEGAL PROCEEDINGS |
Settlement of Working Capital DisputeThis information is set forth in Note 16 to our Consolidated Financial Statements, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
In December 2018, the Company completed the acquisition of WMI from Air Industries for a purchase price of $7.9 million, subject to a potential post-closing working capital adjustment. Of the purchase price, $2 million was placed in escrow at closing and was to be released after the completion of the working capital adjustment and for indemnification contingencies. Air Industries objected to the Company’s calculation of the post-closing working capital adjustment and rejected the determination of BDO, the independent accountant appointed by the parties to resolve the dispute. On September 27, 2019, the Company filed a notice of motion in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, against Air Industries seeking, among other things, a judgment against Air Industries in the amount of approximately $4.1 million. In October 2019, Air Industries and the Company jointly authorized the release to the Company of approximately $619,000 from escrow, which represented the value of certain undisputed items.
The Company and Air Industries entered into a settlement agreement dated as of December 23, 2020, to resolve the post-closing working capital adjustment dispute in exchange for the release to the Company of the $1,381,000 cash remaining in escrow. Such amount was released from escrow to the Company on December 28, 2020. As part of the settlement agreement CPI Aero agreed to give up the right to pursue the additional disputed working capital amount of approximately $2.1 million.
Class Action Lawsuit
As previously disclosed, a consolidated class action lawsuit (captioned Rodriguez v. CPI Aerostructures, Inc., et al., No. 20-cv-01026) has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against the Company, Douglas McCrosson, the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Palazzolo, the Company’s former Chief Financial Officer, and the two underwriters of the Company’s October 16, 2018 offering of common stock, Canaccord Genuity LLC and B. Riley FBR. The Amended Complaint in the action asserts claims on behalf of two plaintiff classes: (i) purchasers of the Company’s common stock issued pursuant to and/or traceable to the Company’s offering conducted on or about October 16, 2018; and (ii) purchasers of the Company’s common stock between March 22, 2018 and February 14, 2020. The Amended Complaint alleges that the defendants violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the Securities Act by negligently permitting false and misleading statements to be included in the registration statement and prospectus supplements issued in connection with its October 16, 2018 securities offering. The Amended Complaint also alleges that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and Rule 10b-5 promulgated by the SEC, by making false and misleading statements in the Company’s periodic reports filed between March 22, 2018 and February 14, 2020. Plaintiff seeks unspecified compensatory damages, including interest; rescission or a rescissory measure of damages; unspecified equitable or injunctive relief; and costs and expenses, including attorney’s fees and expert fees. On February 19, 2021, the Company moved to dismiss the Amended Complaint. Plaintiff submitted a brief in opposition to the motion to dismiss on April 23, 2021.
On May 20, 2021, the parties reached a settlement in the amount of $3,600,000, subject to court approval. On July 9, 2021, Plaintiff filed an unopposed motion for preliminary approval of the settlement. On November 10, 2021, a magistrate judge recommended that the Court grant the motion for preliminary approval in its entirety. The Court adopted the recommendation on May 27, 2022, and entered an order granting preliminary approval of the settlement on June 7, 2022. The magistrate judge will hold a hearing on September 9, 2022 to decide whether to grant final approval of the settlement. After satisfaction of our $750,000 retention, the Settlement Amount will be covered and paid by our directors’ and officers’ insurance carrier. As of March 31, 2021, we have previously paid or accrued to our financial statements covered expenses totaling $750,000, and have therefore met our directors’ and officers’ retention requirement, which caps the Company’s expenses pertaining to the class action suit.
As of December 31, 2021, in order to reflect the amounts owed from our directors’ and officers’ insurance carrier and to the Plaintiffs, we have recorded to our balance sheet a litigation settlement obligation of $3,003,259 and an insurance recovery receivable of $2,850,000; this obligation and receivable will be relieved from our balance sheet upon the payment of the Settlement Amount to the Plaintiff by our directors’ and officers’ insurance carrier.
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Shareholder Derivative Action
Four shareholder derivative actions, each based on substantially the same facts as those alleged in the class action discussed above, have been filed against current members of our board of directors and certain of our current and former officers.
The first action (captioned Moulton v. McCrosson, et.al., No. 20-cv-02092) was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. It purports to assert derivative claims against the individual defendants for violations of Section 10(b) and 21D of the Exchange Act, breach of fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment and seeks to recover on behalf of the Company for any liability the Company might incur as a result of the individual defendants’ alleged misconduct. The complaint also seeks declaratory, equitable, injunctive, and monetary relief, as well as attorneys’ fees and other costs. On October 26, 2020, the plaintiff filed an amended complaint. On January 27, 2021, the Court stayed the action pursuant to a joint stipulation filed by the parties.
The second action (captioned Woodyard v. McCrosson, et al., Index No. 613169/2020) was filed on September 17, 2020, in the Supreme Court of the State of New York (Suffolk County). It purports to assert derivative claims against the individual defendants for breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment, and seeks to recover on behalf of the Company for any liability the Company might incur as a result of the individual defendants’ alleged misconduct, along with declaratory, equitable, injunctive and monetary relief, as well as attorneys’ fees and other costs. On December 22, 2020, the parties filed a joint stipulation staying the action pending further developments in the class action.
The third action (captioned Berger v. McCrosson, et al., No. 1:20-cv-05454) was filed on November 10, 2020, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.The complaint, which is based on the shareholder’s inspection of certain corporate books and records, purports to assert derivative claims against the individual defendants for breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment, and seeks to implement reforms to the Company’s corporate governance and internal procedures and to recover on behalf of the Company an unspecified amount of monetary damages. The complaint also seeks equitable, injunctive, and monetary relief, as well as attorneys’ fees and other costs.
On March 19, 2021, the parties to the Moulton and Berger actions filed a joint stipulation consolidating the actions (under the caption In re CPI Aerostructures Stockholder Derivative Litigation, No. 20-cv-02092) and staying the consolidated action pending further developments in the class action.
The fourth action (captioned Wurst v. Bazaar, et al., Index No. 605244/2021) was filed on March 24, 2021, in the Supreme Court of the State of New York (Suffolk County). The complaint purports to assert derivative claims against the individual defendants for breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, and waste of corporate assets, and seeks to recover on behalf of the Company for any liability the Company might incur as a result of the individual defendants’ alleged misconduct. The complaint also seeks declaratory, equitable, injunctive, and monetary relief, as well as attorneys’ fees and other costs. On April 12, 2021, the parties filed a joint stipulation staying the action pending further developments in the class action.
On June 13, 2022, the plaintiffs in the consolidated federal action informed the Court that the Company and all defendants had reached an agreement in principle with all plaintiffs to settle the shareholder derivative lawsuits described above. On June 16, 2022, the plaintiffs in the consolidated federal action filed an unopposed motion for preliminary approval of the settlement. On July 22, 2022, the Court referred the motion to the magistrate judge; the motion remains pending. The settlement is subject to Court approval and, if approved, will result in the dismissal of the shareholder derivative lawsuits. As part of the proposed settlement, the Company has agreed to undertake (or confirm that it has undertaken already) certain corporate governance reforms and to pay attorneys’ fees to plaintiffs’ counsel. The attorneys’ fees will be covered and paid by our directors’ and officers’ insurance carrier, after satisfaction of our $750,000 retention.
SEC Investigation
On May 22, 2020, the Company received a subpoena from the SEC Division of Enforcement (the “Division”) seeking documents and information relating, among other things, to previously disclosed errors in and restatement of the Company’s financial statements, the Company’s October 16, 2018 equity offering and the recent separation of the Company’s former Chief Financial Officers. By letter dated March 12, 2021, the Division Staff notified the Company that the Division has concluded its investigation and, based on the information the Division has as of such date, it does not intend to recommend an enforcement action by the SEC against the Company. The Division’s notice was provided under the guidelines described in the final paragraph of Securities Act Release No. 5310 which states in part that the notice “must in no way be construed as indicating that the party has been exonerated or that no action may ultimately result from the staff’s investigation.”
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Item 4. | MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES |
Not applicable.
PART II
Item 5. | MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES |
Before May 20, 2022 ourOur shares of common stock were tradedare listed on the NYSE American exchange under the symbol “CVU”. On May 19, 2022, the NYSE American exchange announced the suspension of trading of our common stock due to non-compliance with the Exchange’s SEC annual and quarterly report timely filing criteria provided for in Section 1007 of the Exchange’s Company Guide and announced that it was initiating proceedings to delist our common stock. The Company filed a request for review of the Exchange’s determination to initiate delisting proceedings. A hearing for this review before a Listing Qualification Panel of the Committee has been scheduled for September 7, 2022. The delisting action has been stayed pending the outcome of the review although trading on the Exchange remains suspended.
Shares of our common stock can only be traded in the OTC Markets Group’s Expert Market under the symbol “CVUA”. The Expert Market is available for unsolicited quotes only, meaning broker-dealers may use the Expert Market to publish unsolicited quotes representing orders from retail and institutional investors who are not affiliates or insiders of the Company. Quotations in Expert Market securities are made available to broker-dealers, institutions, and other sophisticated investors.
See Part I Item 1A Risk Factors - “The NYSE American exchange has suspended trading of our common stock and may delist our common stock from trading on the exchange. If our common stock is delisted from the NYSE American exchange, our business, financial condition, results of operations, stock price and investors’ ability to make transactions in our common stock could be adversely affected and the liquidity of our stock and our ability to obtain financing could be impaired” and “There is currently a very limited trading market for our common stock and investors are not assured of the opportunity to make transactions in our common stock.”
On August 15, 2022,March 28, 2024, there were 589171 holders of record of our shares of common stock. We believe there are substantially more beneficial holders of our common stock.
Dividend Policy
To date, we have not paid any dividends on our common stock. Any payment of dividends in the future is within the discretion of our board of directors (subject to the limitation on dividends contained in the BankUnited Facility, as described more fully in Part II, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations) and will depend on our earnings, if any, our capital requirements and financial condition and other relevant factors. Our board of directors does not intend to declare any cash or other dividends in the foreseeable future, but intends instead to retain earnings, if any, for use in our business operations.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
There have been no sales of unregistered equity securities for the three months ended December 31, 2021.2023. There have been no repurchases of our outstanding common stock during the three months ended December 31, 2021.2023.
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Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
The following table sets forth certain information at December 31, 20212023 with respect to our equity compensation plans that provide for the issuance of options, warrants or rights to purchase our securities:
Plan Category | Number of Securities to be Issued upon Exercise of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights | Weighted-Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options, Warrants and Rights | Number of Securities Remaining Available for Future Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans (excluding securities reflected in the first column) | |||||||||
Equity Compensation Plans Approved by Security Holders | — | $ | — | 621,419 | ||||||||
Equity Compensation Plans Not Approved by Security Holders | — | — | — | |||||||||
Total | — | $ | — | 621,419 |
Long-term equity incentives are an important component of compensation and are designed to align the interests of our executive officers and directors who receive long-term equity awards with the Company’s long-term performance and to increase shareholder value. The Company has awarded long-term incentive compensation pursuant to two plans:
2016 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The 2016 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended, authorizes the grant of 1,400,0002,200,000 shares of our common stock, which may be granted in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, deferred stock, stock reload options, and other stock-based awards, to employees, officers, directors, and consultants of the Company. As of December 31, 2021,2023, we have granted 927,3191,580,945 shares under this plan and 472,681619,055 shares remained available for grant under this plan.
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Performance Equity Plan 2009. The Performance Equity Plan 2009 authorizes the grant of 500,000 stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, deferred stock, stock reload options, and other stock-based awards. As of December 31, 2021,2023, we have granted 497,636 shares under this plan and 2,364 shares remained available for grant.
Item 6. [RESERVED]
Item 6. | [RESERVED] |
Not applicable.
Item 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Item 7. | MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis includes forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties and should be read together with the “Risk Factors” section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.
Recent Developments
NYSE American Listing Standards Non-Compliance and Delisting Determination
On May 19, 2022, the Exchange announced the suspension of trading of our common stock due to non-compliance with the Exchange’s SEC annual and quarterly report timely filing criteria provided for in Section 1007 ofFebruary 20, 2024, the Company Guide and announced that it was initiating proceedings to delist our common stock. The Company filedentered into a request for review of the Exchange’s determination to initiate delisting proceedingsThirteenth Amendment to the Committee. A hearing for this review before a Listing Qualification Panel of the Committee has been scheduled for September 7, 2022. The delisting action has been stayed pending the outcome of the review.
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We will become current with our SEC reports upon the filing of the 2022 Q1 Form 10-Q and the 2022 Q2 Form 10-Q. The Company believes that becoming current with our SEC reports will resolve the condition that led to NYSE American suspending trading in the Company’s common stock on the Exchange and its determination to commence proceedings to delist the common stock from the Exchange. The 2022 Q1 Form 10-Q and 2022 Q2 Form 10-Q will be filed as soon as practicable. We cannot assure you that if the Company becomes current with our SEC reports before the Hearing or the outcome of the Hearing will result in the Exchange changing its delisting determination or that our common stock will resume trading on the Exchange in the future.
On September 17, 2021, we received notice from the Exchange indicating that the Company does not meet the continued listing standards set forth in Part 10 of the Company Guide. The Company is not in compliance with Section 1003(a)(i) of the Company Guide since it has stockholders’ equity of less than $2.0 million and losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in two of its three most recent fiscal years and Section 1003(a)(ii) of the Company Guide since it has stockholders’ equity of less than $4.0 million and losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in three of its four most recent fiscal years. The Company is therefore subject to the procedures and requirements of Section 1009 of the Company Guide and was required to, and timely did, submit a plan to the Exchange addressing how the Company intends to regain compliance with the continued listing standards by March 17, 2023Credit Agreement (the “Plan”“Thirteenth Amendment”). On November 19, 2021, we received notice from the Exchange that it accepted the Plan, subject to periodic review, including quarterly monitoring, for compliance with the Plan. If the Company’s common stock is not delisted from the Exchange as a result of the Company’s delayed filings as described above and (i) the Company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards by March 17, 2023 or (ii) the Company does not make progress consistent with the Plan during the plan period, the Exchange staff may initiate delisting proceedings as appropriate.
See Part I Item 1A Risk Factors - “The NYSE American exchange has suspended trading of our common stock and may delist our common stock from trading on the exchange. If our common stock is delisted from the NYSE American exchange, our business, financial condition, results of operations, stock price and investors’ ability to make transactions in our common stock could be adversely affected and the liquidity of our stock and our ability to obtain financing could be impaired”.
Trading of Common Stock on Expert Market
The Company is not current in its SEC reporting obligations with respect to its 2022 Q1 Form 10-Q and its 2022 Q2 Form 10-Q. Companies that are not current in their SEC reporting obligations in accordance with the provisions of Rule 15c-11 (“Rule 15c2-11”) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, do not have current information publicly available and do not meet the requirements for ongoing quoting of their securities on one of the public markets (the “OTC Markets”) operated by the OTC Markets Group. Effective July 15, 2022, the Company’s common stock is quoted on the OTC Markets Group’s “Expert Market.”
The Expert Market is available for unsolicited quotes only, meaning broker-dealers may use the Expert Market to publish unsolicited quotes representing orders from retail and institutional investors who are not affiliates or insiders of the Company. Quotations in Expert Market securities are made available to broker-dealers, institutions, and other sophisticated investors. Accordingly, investors are not assured of the opportunity to purchase or sell their shares when they desire to do so or at all.
See Part I Item 1A Risk Factors - “There is currently a very limited trading market for our common stock and investors are not assured of the opportunity to make transactions in our common stock.”
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Restatement due to Inventory Costing Errors and Insufficient Reserves
As previously reported, on June 4, 2021, the audit and finance committee (the “Audit and Finance Committee”) of the board of directors of the Company determined, based on the recommendation of management and in consultation with CohnReznick LLP (“CohnReznick”), the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, that the Company’s financial statements which were included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020, and September 30, 2020 as filed with the SEC should no longer be relied upon due to errors in such financial statements relating to the recording and reporting of inventory costing and related internal controls (the “Inventory Costing Errors”) and that management’s reports on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, press releases, and investor communications describing the Company’s financial statements for such periods should no longer be relied upon. The Company’s management identified the Inventory Costing Errors during its inventory testing procedures for the preparation of the Company’s financial statements for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2021. At the time of the June 2021 disclosure, the Company estimated and disclosed that the Inventory Costing Errors were expected to increase the 2020 net loss reported on the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 by $1.9 million to $2.3 million. The Company has determined that the Inventory Costing Errors increased 2020 net loss by $2,010,084.
The correction of the Inventory Costing Errors resulted in the determination that certain contracts were in a loss position and certain inventory items required additional reserves. The Company reevaluated the sufficiency of its provisions for loss contracts and inventory reserves that it had previously recorded and concluded that increases to these reserves were required. The insufficient reserves resulting from such reserve increases are referred to as “Additional Inventory Reserves” and “Loss Contract Reserve” and are together referred to as the “Insufficient Reserves.” It was further determined by management that the appropriate starting point for increasing the Insufficient Reserves was during the fourth quarter of 2019.
On November 16, 2021, the Audit and Finance Committee determined, based on the analysis and recommendation of management and in consultation with CohnReznick, that the Company’s financial statements as of and for the period ended December 31, 2019 which were included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 should no longer be relied upon due to errors in such financial statements relating to the recording and reporting of the Insufficient Reserves, that, similarly, management’s reports on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, press releases, and investor communications describing the Company’s financial statements for such period should no longer be relied upon, and stated that the Company expected to restate its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020, and September 30, 2020 as filed with the SEC (the “Original Forms 10-Q”) by filing the Comprehensive Form 10-K/A.
The Company, upon conducting an analysis of the impact of the Insufficient Reserves on previously reported financial results, determined that net loss for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $324,231 and $2,189,728, respectively, greater than the net loss reported in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.
Considering both the Inventory Costing Errors and the Insufficient Reserves, the Company determined that the net loss for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $2,334,315 and $2,300,083, respectively, greater than the net loss reported in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and net loss for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 was $544,836 and $763,730, respectively, greater than the net loss reported in the respective Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for such periods and the net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 was $24,556 more than the net income reported in the Quarterly Report for such period.
The Inventory Costing Errors resulted from software processing and coding errors, inconsistent units of measure being used for quantities ordered and quantities received of certain purchased parts, incorrect accruals to accounting periods of the cost of certain goods received and the Company not having a procedure to address over- or under-absorbed overhead costs at the end of accounting periods. The Inventory Costing Errors affected the income reported with respect to the Company’s Non-POC Contracts. The Inventory Costing Errors did not affect income reported with respect to the Company’s POC Contracts. The Loss Contract Reserve and the Additional Inventory Reserves also only affected the income reported with respect to the Company’s Non-POC Contracts, and did not affect the income reported with respect to the Company’s POC Contracts. The Inventory Costing Errors and the Insufficient Reserves did not affect either prior reported revenue or cash flow for fiscal 2020 and 2019.
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Management has considered the effect of the Inventory Costing Errors and the Insufficient Reserves on the Company’s prior conclusions of the adequacy of its internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of each of the applicable periods. As a result of the Inventory Costing Errors and the Insufficient Reserves, management has determined that a material weakness existed in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of the end of the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020, September 30, 2020 and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. See Part II Item 9A – Controls and Procedures within this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a description of these matters.
As a result of the restatement caused by the Inventory Costing Errors and Insufficient Reserves, the Company reported net loss for the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 which was $2,334,315 and $2,300,083, respectively, greater than the net loss reported in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 (the “Original Form 10-K”) and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, net loss for the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020 which was $544,836 and $763,730, respectively, greater than the net loss reported in the respective Original Forms 10-Q, and net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 which was $24,556 greater than the net income reported in the Original Form 10-Q. The Inventory Costing Errors and the Insufficient Reserves did not affect reported revenue or cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2020 or December 31, 2019, or for the quarters ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 2020.
The Comprehensive Form 10-K/A contains our audited restated annual financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, as well as our unaudited restated quarterly financial statements as of and for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020. The restatement is discussed in more detail within Part II, Item 8 Note 16, “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements” in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Amendments and Waivers to the BankUnited Facility
On May 11, 2021, we entered into the Seventh Amendment (defined below). Under the SeventhThirteenth Amendment, the parties amended the Credit Agreement by (a) extending the maturity date of the Revolving Loan and the Term LoanCompany’s existing revolving line of credit to JulyAugust 31, 2022,2025; and (b) amendingsetting the leverage ratio covenant . Additionally, underaggregate maximum principal amount of all revolving line of credit loans to $19,800,000 from January 1, 2024 through March 31, 2024, $19,080,000 from April 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024, $18,360,000 from July 1, 2024 through September 30, 2024, $17,640,000 from October 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024, $16,920,000 from January 1, 2025 through March 31, 2025, $16,200,000 from April 1, 2025 through June 30, 2025 and $15,480,000 thereafter, and for payments to be made by the Seventh Amendment, BankUnited waived late deliveryCompany to comply therewith (if any such payments are necessary), on the first day of certain financial information.each such period.
On October 28, 2021, we entered into the Eighth Amendment (defined below). Under the Eighth Amendment, the parties amended the Credit Agreement by (a) extending the maturity date of the Revolving Loan and the Term Loan to December 31, 2022, (b) reducing the availability under the Revolving Loan from $24 million to $21 million while eliminating the requirement to maintain a minimum $3.0 million in a combination of Revolving Loan availability and unrestricted cash, (c) providing for the repayment of an additional $750,000 of the principal balance of the Term Loan in three installments of $250,000 on November 30, 2021, December 31, 2021 and March 31, 2022 in addition to $200,000 regular monthly principal payments through December 31, 2022, (d) amending the minimum debt service coverage ratio covenant and (e) amending the maximum leverage ratio covenant. Additionally, under the Eighth Amendment, BankUnited waived certain covenant non-compliance and waived temporarily, late delivery of certain financial information. In connection with the Eighth Amendment, a $250,000 amendment fee (the “Amendment Fee”) was earned by the lenders on December 31, 2021 which the Company elected to pay in kind and accrue and capitalize rather than pay in cash. As at December 31, 2021, the Amendment Fee payable was posted by BankUnited to the Revolving Loan and on February 11, 2022, in agreement with the Company, the Amendment Fee was reclassified by BankUnited to the Term Loan. The Company has recorded this payable to its financial statements accordingly.
On April 12, 2022 the Company entered into the Ninth Amendment (defined below) to the Credit Agreement. Under the Ninth Amendment, the parties amended the Credit Agreement by (a) extending the maturity date of the Revolving Loan and the Term Loan to September 30, 2023, (b) providing for the repayment of an additional $750,000 of the principal balance of the Term Loan in three installments of $250,000 on September 30, 2022, December 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023 in addition to $200,000 regular monthly principal payments through December 31, 2022 and (c) increasing the interest on the Revolving Loan, Term Loan, and the Amendment Fee as follows: through June 30, 2022, Prime Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus 2.5%; from July 1, 2022 through August 31, 2022, Prime Rate plus 5%; from September 1, 2022 through October 31, 2022, Prime Rate plus 6%; from November 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022, Prime Rate plus 7%; and from January 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023, Prime Rate plus 8%. Additionally, under the Ninth Amendment, the Credit Agreement financial covenants were amended. BankUnited also waived or consented to certain covenant non-compliance, waived temporarily or consented to, late delivery of certain financial information and waived permanently late delivery of certain pro-forma budget information.
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On August 19, 2022, we entered into the Tenth Amendment (defined below). Under the Tenth Amendment, the parties amended the Credit Agreement by (a) increasing the maximum leverage ratio applicable for the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2022 to 5.0 to 1.0, (b) waiving and/or consenting to the exclusion from the Company’s covenant compliance requirements for the fiscal quarters ended December 31, 2021, March 31, 2022, June 30, 2022 and September 30, 2022 up to (i) $566,024.81 of losses incurred and reserves taken under the Borrower’s welded product contracts, and (ii) $367,044.51 of reserves taken with respect to the Borrower’s welded product inventory, and (c) waiving and/or consenting to the exclusion from the Company’s covenant compliance requirements for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2022, June 30, 2022, September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2022 up to $795,997.06 of accrued severance and COBRA costs and employer taxes incurred by the Company during the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2022. Additionally, under the Tenth Amendment, BankUnited waived or consented to late delivery of certain financial information required by the Credit Agreement.
The Credit Agreement, as amended, requires us to maintain the following financial covenants (subject to the exclusions provided for in the previous paragraph): (a) minimum debt service coverage ratio of no less than 1.5 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended March 31, 2022, 0.95 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended June 30, 2022, and 1.5 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended September 30, 2022 and for the trailing four quarter periods ended thereafter; (b) maximum leverage ratio of no less than 7.30 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended March 31, 2022, 6.30 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended June 30, 2022, 5.0 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended September 30, 2022 and 4.0 to 1 for the trailing four quarter periods thereafter; (c) minimum net income after taxes as of the end of each fiscal quarter being no less than $1.00 commencing June 30, 2022; and (d) a minimum adjusted EBITDA at the end of each quarter of no less than $1.0 million (waived for the quarter ended March 31, 2022). The additional principal payments, increase in interest and the Amendment Fee provided for in the Eight Amendment and Ninth Amendment are excluded for purposes of calculating compliance with each of the financial covenants.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan
As previously reported, on April 10, 2020, we obtained a loan from Dime Community Bank (formerly BNB Bank) as the lender (“Dime”), in the principal amount of $4,795,000 (“PPP Loan”) pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act as administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”). The Company submitted its PPP Loan forgiveness application and the loan necessity questionnaire to the SBA through Dime.
On July 13, 2021, the Company received notification through Dime that the PPP Loan and accrued interest thereon were fully forgiven by the SBA and that the forgiveness payment date was July 1, 2021. The forgiveness of the PPP Loan was recognized during the Company’s third fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2021. The SBA reserves the right to audit any PPP Loan, for eligibility and other criteria, regardless of size. These audits may occur after forgiveness has been granted. In accordance with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, all borrowers are required to maintain their PPP loan documentation for six years after the PPP Loan was forgiven and to provide that documentation to the SBA upon request.
Settlement of Class Action
As previously disclosed, a consolidated class action lawsuit has been filed against the Company, Douglas McCrosson, the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Palazzolo, the Company’s former Chief Financial Officer, and the two underwriters of the Company’s October 16, 2018 offering of common stock, Canaccord Genuity LLC and B. Riley FBR. The Amended Complaint in the action asserts claims on behalf of two plaintiff classes: (i) purchasers of the Company’s common stock issued pursuant to and/or traceable to the Company’s offering conducted on or about October 16, 2018; and (ii) purchasers of the Company’s common stock between March 22, 2018 and February 14, 2020. The Amended Complaint alleges that the defendants violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the Securities Act by negligently permitting false and misleading statements to be included in the registration statement and prospectus supplements issued in connection with its October 16, 2018 securities offering. The Amended Complaint also alleges that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated by the SEC, by making false and misleading statements in the Company’s periodic reports filed between March 22, 2018 and February 14, 2020. Plaintiff seeks unspecified compensatory damages, including interest; rescission or a rescissory measure of damages; unspecified equitable or injunctive relief; and costs and expenses, including attorney’s fees and expert fees. On February 19, 2021, the Company moved to dismiss the Amended Complaint. Plaintiff submitted a brief in opposition to the motion to dismiss on April 23, 2021.
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On May 20, 2021, the parties reached a settlement in the amount of $3,600,000, subject to court approval. On July 9, 2021, Plaintiff filed an unopposed motion for preliminary approval of the settlement. On November 10, 2021, a magistrate judge recommended that the Court grant the motion for preliminary approval in its entirety. The Court adopted the recommendation on May 27, 2022, and entered an order granting preliminary approval of the settlement on June 7, 2022. The magistrate judge will hold a hearing on September 9, 2022 to decide whether to grant final approval of the settlement. After satisfaction of our $750,000 retention, the Settlement Amount will be covered and paid by our directors’ and officers’ insurance carrier. As of March 31, 2021, we have previously paid or accrued to our financial statements covered expenses totaling $750,000, and have therefore met our directors’ and officers’ retention requirement, which caps the Company’s expenses pertaining to the class action suit.
As of December 31, 2021, in order to reflect the amounts owed from our directors’ and officers’ insurance carrier and to the Plaintiffs, we have recorded to our balance sheet a litigation settlement obligation of $3,003,259 and an insurance recovery receivable of $2,850,000; this obligation and receivable will be relieved from our balance sheet upon the payment of the Settlement Amount to the Plaintiff by our directors’ and officers’ insurance carrier.
Impact of COVID-19
The impact that the recent COVID-19 pandemic will have on our business remains uncertain.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization during our first quarter of 2020. During the latter part of that quarter and subsequent to that quarter end, the COVID-19 pandemic grew, causing non-essential businesses to shut down and many people to observe the shelter-in-place directive from our state government. Our business and operations and the industries in which we operate have been impacted by public and private sector policies and initiatives in the U.S. to address the transmission of COVID-19, such as the imposition of travel restrictions and the adoption of remote work. The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to a general slowdown in the global economy, has adversely impacted the businesses of certain of our customers and suppliers, and, if it continues for an extended period of time, it could adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition. In response to the COVID-19 impact on our business, we have been and continue to actively mitigate costs. We have also been taking actions to preserve capital and protect the long-term needs of our businesses, including negotiating progress payments with our customers and reducing discretionary spending. For more information on the current and potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, see Risk Factors included in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
During late 2020, we began to experience an increased rate of employees testing positive for COVID-19 and we took steps to mitigate virus transmission within the workplace. These steps included adding a second manufacturing shift to lessen employee density on the manufacturing floor and to require most non-manufacturing personnel to work from home. These measures continued into 2021. Despite these measures, we experienced a relatively high level of absenteeism directly or indirectly related to COVID-19. We have taken mitigating steps in an attempt to reduce the adverse effects of COVID-19 on our business. For example, we have curtailed discretionary spending and business travel, and taken other steps to preserve cash. We have also taken action to more closely manage the flow of materials to be more responsive to unanticipated changes in customer delivery schedules. Since May 2021 and through the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we have experienced a decrease in the impact of COVID-19. However, we believe that the impact of COVID-19 on illness and absence rates, workflows and productivity at the Company and our business providers has been a contributing factor to the time required for our financial statement closing processes and the delayed filing of our SEC reports. Most non-manufacturing personnel have now returned to their regular in-person work schedules and we have returned to a single day shift manufacturing operation, although we do continue to experience employees and business partners with new COVID-19 diagnoses on an intermittent basis and we take needed steps to mitigate these impacts on the Company’s operation as they occur.
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Certain Transactions
The following transactions occurred during the periods covered by this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations:
Acquisition of WMI
In December 2018, the Company completed the acquisition of WMI from Air Industries for a purchase price of $7.9 million, subject to a potential post-closing working capital adjustment. Of the purchase price, $2 million was placed in escrow at closing and was to be released after the completion of the working capital adjustment and for indemnification contingencies. Air Industries objected to the Company’s calculation of the post-closing working capital adjustment and rejected the determination of BDO, the independent accountant appointed by the parties to resolve the dispute. On September 27, 2019, the Company filed a notice of motion in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, against Air Industries seeking, among other things, a judgment against Air Industries in the amount of approximately $4.1 million. In October 2019, Air Industries and the Company jointly authorized the release to the Company of approximately $619,000 from escrow, which represented the value of certain undisputed items.
The Company and Air Industries entered into a settlement agreement dated as of December 23, 2020, to resolve the post-closing working capital adjustment dispute in exchange for the release to the Company of the $1,381,000 cash remaining in escrow. Such amount was released from escrow to the Company on December 28, 2020. As part of the settlement agreement CPI Aero agreed to give up the right to pursue the additional disputed working capital amount of approximately $2.1 million.
Honda Aircraft Company, Inc. Settlement and Release Agreement
In January 2020, the Company requested a modification to the recurring sales price contained in the Master Purchase Agreement dated January 14, 2019 (“Honda MPA”) with Honda Aircraft Company, Inc. (“HACI”) for the manufacture of engine inlet assemblies for the HondaJet aircraft. HACI denied the Company’s request. HACI and the Company subsequently commenced discussions that would result in the Company exiting the program. On December 23, 2020 HACI and the Company entered into a Settlement and Release Agreement that, subject to the terms and conditions therein, terminates the Honda MPA and cancels all remaining purchase orders placed with the Company thereunder.
Gulfstream G650 Program
On April 29, 2020, the Company received a letter from Triumph Group stating that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it had received a significant schedule change from its customer, Gulfstream Aerospace, and requested that we immediately stop work on the contract we have to produce certain fixed leading edge assemblies on the wing of the G650 business jet. In May 2020, Triumph Group cancelled nearly all open orders with the Company, decreasing our G650 leading edge backlog by $3.6 million. On May 27, 2020, Triumph Group announced it had reached an agreement in principle to sell the G650 wing program to Gulfstream Aerospace. On June 12, 2020, the Company received a joint communication from Gulfstream Aerospace and Triumph Group that stated Gulfstream Aerospace’s intention at the conclusion of the transaction is to continue to purchase G650 wing components from the Company. In December 2020, the Company received purchase orders from Gulfstream Aerospace for G650 wing components.
Business Operations
We are engaged in the contract production of structural aircraft parts for fixed wing aircraft and helicopters in both the commercial and defense markets. We also have a strong and growing presence in the aerosystems segmentsector of the market, with our production of various reconnaissance pod structures and fuel panel systems. Within the global aerostructure and aerosystem supply chain, we are either a Tier 1 supplier to aircraft OEMs or a Tier 2 subcontractor to major Tier 1 manufacturers. We also are a prime contractor to the U.S. DOD, primarily the USAF. In conjunction with our assembly operations, we provide engineering, program management, supply chain management and kitting, and MRO services.
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Critical Accounting PoliciesEstimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of certain assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingencies during the reporting period. Significant estimates and assumptions include revenue recognition, the valuation of deferred income taxes, and the valuation of inventory. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
We believe that the following discussion addresses our critical accounting policies which require management’s most difficult, subjective and complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. For more discussion of these and other significant accounting policies, refer to Part II, Item 8, Note 1 “Principal Business Activity and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in our notes to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Revenue Recognition
In accordance with ASC 606, the Company recognizes revenue when it transfers control of a promised good or service to a customer in an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to be entitled to in exchange for the good or service. The majority of the Company’s performance obligations are satisfied over time as the Company (i) sells products with no alternative use to the Company and (ii) has an enforceable right to recover costs incurred plus a reasonable profit margin for work completed to date. Under the overtimeover time revenue recognition model, revenue and gross profit are recognized over the contract period as work is performed based on actual costs incurred and an estimate of costs to complete and resulting total estimated costs at completion. See Part II, Item 8, Note 2 “Revenue Recognition”1 “Principal Business Activity and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K for additional information regarding the Company’s revenue recognition policy.
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Deferred Income Taxes – Valuation Allowance
On a quarterly basis, we assess the likelihood that we will be able to recover our deferred tax assets against future sources of taxable income and reduce the carrying amounts of deferred tax assets by recording a valuation allowance if, based on the available evidence, it is more likely than not (defined as a likelihood of more than 50%) that all or a portion of such assets will not be realized.
Assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets requires the determination of whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all the deferred tax assets will not be realized. In assessing the need for a valuation allowance, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, loss carryback and tax-planning strategies. Generally, more weight is given to objectively verifiable evidence, such as a cumulative loss in recent years, as a significant piece of negative evidence to overcome. As of December 31, 2023, the Company achieved three years of consecutive book and taxable income, along with projections of profitability, for which management determined that there is sufficient positive evidence to conclude that it is more likely than not that a portion of the deferred tax assets will be realized. As such, $14,170,891 of the valuation allowance was released during the fourth quarter of 2023, leaving a balance in the valuation allowance of $569,143 as of December 31, 2023.
Inventory
Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or estimated net realizable value. Cost is determined using the weighted average method. The Company capitalizes labor, material, subcontractor and overhead costs as work-in-process for contracts where control has not yet passed to the customer. The Company regularly reviews inventory quantities on hand, future purchase commitments with its suppliers, and the estimated usability for its inventory. If the Company’s review indicates a reduction in usability below carrying value, it reduces its net inventory to a new cost basis.
Leases
The Company does not recognize right-of-use (“ROU”) assets or lease liabilities, and this includes not recognizing ROU assets or lease liabilities for existing short-term leases. In addition, the Company does not separate lease and non-lease components for certain classes of assets (office building).
The Company’s ROU assets and lease liabilities at December 31, 2021 were approximately $7.8 million and $8.0 million, respectively, using an estimated incremental borrowing rate of 5%, as compared to ROU assets and lease liabilities as of December 31, 2020 of $4.1 million and $4.4 million, respectively.
Goodwill
In January 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-04, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment (“ASU-2017-04). ASU 2017-04 is intended to simplify how all entities assess goodwill for impairment. This is accomplished by removing the requirement to determine the fair value of individual assets and liabilities in order to calculate a reporting unit’s “implied” goodwill. The goodwill impairment test consists of one step comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An entity should recognize a goodwill impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fairnet realizable value.
An entity may still perform the optional qualitative assessment for a reporting unit to determine if it is more likely than not that goodwill is impaired. However, the ASU 2017-04 eliminates the requirement to perform a qualitative assessment for any reporting unit with zero or negative carrying amount. The Company adopted ASU-2017-4 for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Results of Operations
The following discussion provides an analysis of our results of operations and should be read in conjunction with the accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes thereto.
Revenue
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Revenue. Revenue for the year ended December 31, 20212023 was $103,369,544$86,466,321 compared to $87,584,690$83,335,764 for the year ended December 31, 2020,2022, representing an increase of $15,784,854$3,130,557, or 18%3.8%. We experienced revenueThe increase was primarily related to increases on ourin the Raytheon Next Generation Jammer (“NGJ”) Pod program, Raytheon NRC Wing- SDTA program and USAFthe T-38 Pacer Classic program.program, partly offset by decreases in the Sikorsky HIRRS program.
Revenue generated from prime government contracts for the year ended December 31, 20212023 was $3,658,383$11,842,145 compared to $9,115,983$8,663,308 for the year ended December 31, 2020, a decrease2022, an increase of $5,457,600.$3,178,837, or 36.7%. This decreaseincrease is primarily a result of decreasedincreased revenue recognized on the T-38 Pacer Classic program and the F-16 program.
Revenue generated from government subcontracts for the year ended December 31, 20212023 was $93,663,383$69,672,602 compared to $70,106,741$69,023,729 for the year ended December 31, 2020,2022, an increase of $23,556,642.$648,873, or 0.9%. The increase in revenue was primarily related to increases in the following programs; Raytheon Next Generation Jammer (“NGJ”) Pod- SDTA program the Raytheon NRC Wing program, the Pacer Classic III Phase 3 program, the Boeing A-10 program, the Northrop Grumman WOWP program and the Lockheed Martin F-35 lockF-16 Rudder Island program, partly offset by decreases in the Sikorsky HIRRS program and the NGC E-2D WOWP program.
Revenue generated from commercial contracts for the year ended December 31, 20212023 was $6,047,779$4,951,574 compared to $8,361,966$5,648,727 for the year ended December 31, 2020,2022, a decrease of $2,314,187.$697,153, or 12.3%. The decrease in revenue resulted from decreased revenue recognized on the decreaseGulfstream G650 program, which concluded in the HondaJet program and the Sikorsky S-92 Kit program.2022.
Cost of sales.
Cost of sales for the yearsyear ended December 31, 2021 and 20202023 was $88,364,452 and $77,824,732, respectively,$69,400,693 compared to $67,031,502 for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of $10,539,720,$2,369,191 or 14%3.5%.
The components of cost of sales were as follows:
Years ended | Years ended | |||||||||||||||
December 31, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | |||||||||||||
Procurement | $ | 64,628,025 | $ | 56,337,476 | $ | 46,020,628 | $ | 46,094,088 | ||||||||
Labor | 7,843,520 | 6,414,658 | 7,054,308 | 6,829,405 | ||||||||||||
Factory overhead | 19,462,924 | 20,803,029 | 16,028,140 | 15,730,682 | ||||||||||||
Other cost of sales | (3,570,017 | ) | (5,730,431 | ) | 297,617 | (1,622,673 | ) | |||||||||
Cost of sales | $ | 88,364,452 | $ | 77,824,732 | $ | 69,400,693 | $ | 67,031,502 |
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Procurement for the year ended December 31, 20212023 was $64,628,025$46,020,628 compared to $56,337,476$46,094,088 for the year ended December 31, 2020, an increase2022, a decrease of $8,290,549$73,460 or 14.7%0.2%. This increasedecrease is primarily the result of an increasea decrease in procurement for the Sikorsky HIRSSLockheed Martin F-16 Rudder Island program, the Raytheon NGJ Mid-Band Pod Program,- SDTA program, the Raytheon Multi-Purpose Booster Development Wing AssemblyNGC E-2D MYP II OWP program and the Boeing A-10 Re-wing programs.NGC E2D WOWP program, the Bell AH-1Z program, the Gulfstream G650 program and the Raytheon B-52 Radar Rack program, partly offset by increases in the Sikorsky HIRRS program and the Raytheon Next Generation Jammer – Mid-Band pod program.
Labor costs for the year ended December 31, 20212023 were $7,843,520$7,054,308 compared to $6,414,658$6,829,405 for the year ended December 31, 2020,2022, an increase of $1,428,862$224,903 or 22.3%3.3%. The increase is primarily the result of of higher labor associated with the Raytheon NGJ Mid-Band Pod program, the Northrop Grumman Tubes program,cost incurred on the Boeing A-10 Re-wing program, and the Lockheed Martin F-16 Rudder Island program, which were very labor intensive.Warthog program.
Factory overhead costs for the year ended December 31, 20212023 were $19,462,924$16,028,140 compared to $20,803,029$15,730,682 for the year ended December 31, 2020, a decrease2022, an increase of $1,340,105$297,458 or 6.4%1.9%. The decreaseincrease is primarily the result of more productivityhigher overhead rates incurred on programs such as the Raytheon NGJNext Generation Jammer – Mid-Band Podpod program, the Northrop Grumman E-2DSikorsky – Gunner Windows program the Northrop Grumman Outer Wing Panel program, the Northrop Grumman Wet Outer Wing Panel Program, and the Boeing A-10 Re-wing program, which led to higher labor absorption rates and lower overhead costs.Lockheed Martin F-16 Rudder Island program.
Other cost of sales relates to items that can increase or decrease cost of sales such as changes in inventory levels, changes in inventory valuation, changes to inventory reserves, changes in loss contract provisions and direct charges to cost of sales. For the year ended December 31, 2021,2023, there waswere costs in the amount of $297,617 compared to a reduction of costs in the amount of ($3,570,017),$1,622,673 for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of $1,920,290 or 118.3%. The increase is primarily the result of a higher level of cost decrease in 2022 related to changes in inventory levels and reductions in loss contract reserves. For the year ended December 31, 2020, there was a reduction in costs of ($5,730,431), primarily the result of changes in inventory levels and reductions in loss contract reserves.reserve reductions.
Gross profit.
Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 20212023 was $15,005,092$17,065,628 compared to $9,759,958$16,304,262 for the year ended December 31, 2020,2022, an increase of $5,245,134$761,366 or 54%4.7%. Gross profit percentage (“gross margin”) for the year ended December 31, 20212023 was 14.5%19.7% compared to 11.1%19.6% for year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was primarily on the Raytheon NGJ Mid-Band Pod program, the Northrop Grumman E-2D program, the Northrop Grumman Outer Wing Panel program, the Northrop Grumman Wet Outer Wing Panel program, and the Boeing A-10 Re-wing program, which experienced growth in revenue, and a decrease in factory overhead costs.2022.
Favorable/Unfavorable(Unfavorable) Adjustments to Gross Profit
During the years ended December 31, 20212023 and 2020,2022, we made changes in estimates to various contracts. Such changes in estimates resulted in changes in total gross profit as follows:
Years Ended | Years Ended | |||||||||||||||
December 31, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | December 31, 2023 | December 31, 2022 | |||||||||||||
Favorable adjustments | $ | 4,066,857 | $ | 2,241,357 | $ | 2,601,615 | $ | 4,962,675 | ||||||||
Unfavorable adjustments | (4,277,930 | ) | (3,975,745 | ) | ||||||||||||
(Unfavorable) adjustments | (4,052,117 | ) | (3,207,099 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net adjustments | $ | (211,073 | ) | $ | (1,734,388 | ) | $ | (1,450,502 | ) | $ | 1,755,576 |
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”) for the year ended December 31, 20212023 were $11,823,921$10,758,624 compared to $12,046,171$11,410,067 for the year ended December 31, 2020,2022, a decrease of $222,250$651,443 or 1.8%5.7%. ThisThe decrease was primarily due to decreased insurance expense and legal and accounting expenses compared to the prior period, which included the costs associated with the 2018 and 2019 restatement of our consolidated financial statements, partially offset by increases in our business insurance premiums during 2021.
Other income
Other income for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $4,795,000, compared to nil for the year ended December 31, 2020. The other income in 2021 was due to the forgiveness of the PPP loan by the SBA on July 31, 2021.fees.
Interest expense
Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 20212023 was $1,141,189,$2,455,214, compared to $1,421,955$2,271,101 for the year ended December 31, 2020, a decrease2022, an increase of $280,766$184,113 or 19.7%8.1%. The decrease in interest expenseincrease is the result of continued principal repaymenthigher year-over-year interest rates charged on our term loan with Bank United.outstanding debt under the Credit Agreement, partially offset by a year-over-year decrease in the amount of our outstanding debt under the Credit Agreement.
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes
We had an incomeIncome before provision for income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2021 of $6,834,9822023 was $3,851,790 compared to a loss before provision from income taxes of ($3,708,167)$2,623,094 for the year ended December 31, 2020,2022, an increase of $10,543,149. Excluding the PPP loan forgiveness by the SBA on July 1, 2021, our income before provision for income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $2,039,982, an$1,228,696 or 46.8%. The increase over the prior year of $5,748,149, which was driven by the aforementioned increase in gross profit and decrease in SG&A, and decreasepartially offset by the increase in interest expense described above.
Provision (benefit) for income taxes.
The income tax provision (benefit) for the year ended December 31, 2021 of $14,609,2023 was ($13,349,414), which was an effective tax (benefit) rate of 0.21%(346.6%), as compared to a benefitthe income tax (benefit) of ($53,414)6,553,131) for the year ended December 31, 2020,2022, which was an effective tax (benefit) rate of (1.4)%(249.8%). The income tax provision(benefit) in 2021 is mostly2023 and 2022 was primarily due to reductions of the result of state franchise and minimum taxes. TheCompany’s deferred tax benefit in 2020 consists of a refund received from the 2014 NOL carryback claim and state minimum taxes. In February 2019,asset valuation allowance recorded by the Company received information thatin the net operating loss carryback that was utilized in 2014 was under examinationfourth quarter of 2023 and could possibly be partially disallowed by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). This adjustment was an issuefourth quarter of timing2022 of the loss$14,170,891 and had no income tax provision effect. In June 2020, the Company received a letter from the IRS stating that the returns will be accepted as filed. In September 2020, the Company received additional refunds related to the tax years under examination. The examination is now closed and there is no uncertain tax position recorded for this item.$6,473,532, respectively.
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Net income (loss)
Net income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 20212023 was $6,820,373$17,201,204 compared to a net loss of $(3,654,753)$9,176,225 for the year ended December 31, 2020.2022, an increase of $8,024,979 or 87.5%. The increase in net income was driven by the aforementioned increase in gross profit, the PPP loan forgiveness by the SBA on July 1, 2021, the decrease in SG&A and the decrease2023 income tax (benefit), partially offset by the aforementioned increase in interest expense, partly offset by an increase in provision for income taxes. expense.
Earnings per share
Basic and diluted earnings per share was $0.56$1.40 for the year ended December 31, 2021 calculated2023 calculating utilizing 12,193,82612,311,219 weighted average shares outstanding. Basic and diluted loss per share was $(0.31)outstanding as compared to $0.74 for the year ended December 31, 20202022 calculated utilizing 11,884,30712,389,890 weighted average shares outstanding.
Excluding the $4,795,000 PPP loan forgiveness by the SBA on July 1, 2021, our net incomeoutstanding, an increase of $0.66 per share, or 88.8%. Diluted earnings per share was $1.38 for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $2,025,373, an increase over the prior year of $5,680,126, which was driven by the increase in gross profit, the decrease in SG&A and the decrease in interest expense, partly offset by an increase in provision for income taxes. Excluding the aforementioned PPP loan forgiveness by the SBA on July 1, 2021, our basic and diluted earnings per share was $0.172023 calculated utilizing 12,471,961 weighted average shares outstanding as compared to the $(0.31) loss per basic and diluted share$0.74 for the year ended December 31, 2020.2022 calculated utilizing 12,389,890 weighted average shares outstanding, an increase of $0.64 per share, or 86.4%.
Business Outlook
The statements in the “Business Outlook” section and other forward-looking statements of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are subject to revision during the course of the year in our quarterly earnings releases and SEC filings and at other times.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
General. At December 31, 2021,2023, we had working capital of $12,175,776$15,402,381 compared to working capital of $7,674,974$12,896,602 at December 31, 2020,2022, an increase of $4,500,802,$2,505,779, or 58.6%19.4%. This increase is primarily the result of a decrease in accounts payable and an increase in contract assets net.and cash, partially offset by an increase in accrued expenses and accounts payable and a decrease in current portion of long-term debt.
Cash Flow. A large portion of our cash is used to pay for materials and processing costs associated with contracts that are in process and which do not provide for progress payments. Costs for which we are not able to bill on a progress basis are components of contract assets on our consolidated balance sheet and represent the aggregate costs and related earnings for uncompleted contracts for which the customer has not yet been billed. These costs and earnings are recovered upon shipment of products and presentation of billings in accordance with contract terms.
Because ASC 606 requires us to use estimates in determining revenues, costs and profits and in assigning the amounts to accounting periods, there can be a significant disparity between earnings (both for accounting and tax purposes) as reported and actual cash that we receive during any reporting period. Accordingly, it is possible that we may have a shortfall in our cash flow and may need to borrow money or take steps to defer cash outflows until the reported earnings materialize into actual cash receipts.
Several of our programs require us to expend up-front costs that may have to be amortized over a portion of production units. In the case of significant program delays and/or program cancellations, we could experience margin degradation, which may be material for costs that are not recoverable. Such charges and the loss of up-front costs could have a material impact on our liquidity and results of operations.
We continue to work to obtain better payment terms with our customers, including accelerated progress payment arrangements, as well as exploring alternative funding sources.
At December 31, 2021,2023, our cash balance was $6,308,866$5,094,794 compared to $6,033,537$3,847,225 at December 31, 2020,2022, an increase of $275,329. Our accounts receivable balance at December 31, 2021$1,247,569, or 32.4%. The increase was driven by $3,928,341 in cash provided by operations, partly offset by our pay down of $4,967,714 was nearly the same as the balance at December 31, 2020outstanding debt during 2023 of $4,962,906.$2,679,766.
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BankUnited Facility
On March 24, 2016, the Company entered into the Credit Agreement. The BankUnited Facility originally provided for a revolving credit loan commitmentThis information is set forth in Note 8 to our Consolidated Financial Statements, appearing following Item 15 of $30 million (the “Revolving Loan”) and a $10 million term loan (“Term Loan”). The Revolving Loan bears interest at a rate based upon a pricing grid, as defined in the Credit Agreement.
On August 24, 2020, the Company entered into a Sixth Amendment and Waiver to the Credit Agreement (the “Sixth Amendment”). Under the Sixth Amendment, the parties amended the Credit Agreementthis Annual Report on Form 10-K which is hereby incorporated by extending the maturity date of the Revolving Loan and Term Loan to May 2, 2022 and making conforming changes to the repayment schedule of the Term Loan. The availability under the Revolving Loan was reduced by $6 million, to $24 million, and the outstanding principal amount on the Term Note was increased to approximately $7,933,000.
On May 11, 2021, the Company entered into a Waiver and Seventh Amendment (“Seventh Amendment”) to the Credit Agreement. Under the Seventh Amendment, the parties amended the Credit Agreement by (a) extending the maturity date of the Revolving Loan and the Term Loan to July 31, 2022, and (b) amending the leverage ratio covenant. Additionally, under the Seventh Amendment, BankUnited waived late delivery of certain financial information.
On October 28, 2021, the Company entered into a Waiver and Eighth Amendment (the “Eighth Amendment”) to the Credit Agreement. Under the Eighth Amendment, the parties amended the Credit Agreement by (a) extending the maturity date of the Revolving Loan and the Term Loan to December 31, 2022, (b) reducing the availability under the Revolving Loan from $24 million to $21 million while eliminating the requirement to maintain a minimum $3.0 million in a combination of Revolving Loan availability and unrestricted cash, (c) providing for the repayment of an additional $750,000 of the principal balance of the Term Loan in three installments of $250,000 on November 30, 2021, December 31, 2021 and March 31, 2022 in addition to $200,000 regular monthly principal payments through December 31, 2022, (d) amending the minimum debt service coverage ratio covenant, and (e) amending the maximum leverage coverage ratio. Additionally, under the Eighth Amendment, BankUnited waived certain covenant non-compliance and waived temporarily, late delivery of certain financial information. In connection with the Eighth Amendment, a $250,000 amendment fee (the “Amendment Fee”) was earned by the lenders on December 31, 2021 which the Company elected to pay in kind and accrue and capitalize rather than pay in cash. As at December 31, 2021, the Amendment Fee payable was posted by BankUnited to the Revolving Loan and on February 11, 2022, in agreement with the Company, the Amendment Fee was reclassified by BankUnited to the Term Loan. The Company has recorded this payable to its financial statements accordingly.
On April 12, 2022 the Company entered into a Consent, Waiver and Ninth Amendment (the “Ninth Amendment”) to the Credit Agreement. Under the Ninth Amendment, the parties amended the Credit Agreement by (a) extending the maturity date of the Revolving Loan and the Term Loan to September 30, 2023, (b) providing for the repayment of an additional $750,000 of the principal balance of the Term Loan in three installments of $250,000 on September 30, 2022, December 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023 in addition to $200,000 regular monthly principal payments through December 31, 2022 and (c) increasing the interest on the Revolving Loan, Term Loan, and the Amendment Fee as follows: through June 30, 2022, Prime Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus 2.5%; from July 1, 2022 through August 31, 2022, Prime Rate plus 5%; from September 1, 2022 through October 31, 2022, Prime Rate plus 6%; from November 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022, Prime Rate plus 7%; and from January 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023, Prime Rate plus 8%. Additionally, under the Ninth Amendment, the Credit Agreement financial covenants were amended. BankUnited also waived or consented to certain covenant non-compliance, waived temporarily or consented to, late delivery of certain financial information and waived permanently late delivery of certain pro-forma budget information.
On August 19, 2022, we entered into a Consent, Waiver and Tenth Amendment (“the “Tenth Amendment”) to the Credit Agreement the Tenth Amendment. Under the Tenth Amendment, the parties amended the Credit Agreement by (a) increasing the maximum leverage ratio applicable for the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2022 to 5.0 to 1.0, (b) waiving and/or consenting to the exclusion from the Company’s covenant compliance requirements for the fiscal quarters ended December 31, 2021, March 31, 2022, June 30, 2022 and September 30, 2022 up to (i) $566,024.81 of losses incurred and reserves taken under the Borrower’s welded product contracts, and (ii) $367,044.51 of reserves taken with respect to the Borrower’s welded product inventory, and (c) waiving and/or consenting to the exclusion from the Company’s covenant compliance requirements for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2022, June 30, 2022, September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2022 up to $795,997.06 of accrued severance and COBRA costs and employer taxes incurred by the Company during the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2022. Additionally, under the Tenth Amendment, BankUnited waived or consented to late delivery of certain financial information required by the Credit Agreement.
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The Credit Agreement, as amended, requires us to maintain the following financial covenants (subject to the exclusions provided for in the previous paragraph): (a) minimum debt service coverage ratio of no less than 1.5 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended March 31, 2022, 0.95 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended June 30, 2022, and 1.5 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended September 30, 2022 and for the trailing four quarter periods ended thereafter; (b) maximum leverage ratio of no less than 7.30 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended March 31, 2022, 6.30 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended June 30, 2022, 5.0 to 1.0 for the trailing four quarter period ended September 30, 2022 and 4.0 to 1 for the trailing four quarter periods thereafter; (c) minimum net income after taxes as of the end of each fiscal quarter being no less than $1.00 commencing June 30, 2022; and (d) a minimum adjusted EBITDA at the end of each quarter of no less than $1.0 million (waived for the quarter ended March 31, 2022). The additional principal payments, increase in interest and the Amendment Fee provided for in the Eight Amendment and Ninth Amendment are excluded for purposes of calculating compliance with each of the financial covenants.reference.
PPP LoanLeases
On AprilThis information is set forth in Note 10 2020, we entered into the PPP Loan, with BNB Bank (now partto our Consolidated Financial Statements, appearing following Item 15 of Dime Community Bank (“Dime”)) as the lender, in an aggregate principal amount of $4,795,000, pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program under the CARES Act. On November 2, 2020, the Company applied to the lender for full forgiveness of the PPP Loan as calculated in accordance with the terms of the CARES Act, as modifiedthis Annual Report on Form 10-K which is hereby incorporated by the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act. On July 13, 2021, the Company received notification through Dime that the PPP Loan and accrued interest thereon were fully forgiven by the Small Business Association and that the forgiveness payment date was July 1, 2021. The forgiveness of the PPP Loan was recognized during the Company’s third fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2021. The PPP Loan was evidenced by a promissory note (the “Note”) and, subject to the terms of the Note, the PPP Loan had a fixed interest rate interest of one percent (1%) per annum, with the first six months of interest deferred and had an initial term of two years. The SBA reserves the right to audit any PPP Loan, for eligibility and other criteria, regardless of size. These audits may occur after forgiveness has been granted. In accordance with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), all borrowers are required to maintain their PPP loan documentation for six years after the PPP Loan was forgiven and to provide that documentation to the SBA upon request. All amounts are classified as current or long term in accordance with the Note terms.reference.
Liquidity
Our working capital requirements can vary significantly, depending in part on the timing of the conclusion of mature programs and new program awards and the payment terms with our customers and suppliers. There is currently no availability for borrowings under the BankUnited Facility and the Company finances its operations from internally generated cash flow. Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II - Item 8 includes a discussion regarding the BankUnited Facility and recent amendments thereto which provide, among other things, for increases in principal payments and the interest rate on the loans provided for therein. Also, the Company currently has a shareholders’ deficit and has experienced losses from operations and negative cash flows from operations in prior periods. These factors collectively represent significant risk to the Company’s ability to continue to operate as a going concern. Management has assessed these risks and to address them, the Company has (i) negotiated and executed a further amendment to the Credit Agreement which extended the maturity date of the Credit Agreement to September 30, 2023,August 31, 2025, (ii) obtained and is seekingregularly seeks additional progress payment and advance payment customer contract funding provisions, (iii) maintained procedures to reduceminimize investments in inventory and contract assets, (iv) remained focused on its military segment which has proven to be less susceptible to COVID-19 related impactscustomer base and (v) maintained its approximately $135$118.2 million backlog of funded orders, 98% of which are for military programs. Based upon this assessment and the execution of the plans described aboveaforementioned factors, it is management’s estimation that there will likely not be any individual conditions or combination of events that will occur in the coming year which would cause the Company to be unable to meet its obligations or otherwise continue as a going concern. However, there can be no assurance that such plans will accomplish their intended goals.
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Cost Reduction Initiative
During the first quarter of 2022, the Company began a cost reduction initiative designed to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs during fiscal year 2022. Management is reallocating resources and reducing operating and general administrative expenses to more properly align the Company’s costs to anticipated near-term revenue given the timing differences between the conclusion of certain mature programs and the commencement of new programs in 2022. The Company executed a headcount reduction and furlough action in March 2022 and is implementing cost controls and cuts during the balance of fiscal year 2022. The Company anticipates recording severance costs related to the headcount reduction in its first fiscal quarter of 2022 and the cost reductions of these actions are anticipated to positively impact the financial results of the Company beginning in the second fiscal quarter of 2022.
Contractual Obligations.
The table below summarizes information about our contractual obligations as of December 31, 20212023 and the effects these obligations are expected to have on our liquidity and cash flow in the future years. The Company is required to make $4,733,333 in principal payments on its outstanding term loan payable within three years from December 31, 2021, $422,595 in payments on its outstanding equipment capital lease obligations within five years from December 31, 2021 and $8,026,181 in payments on its outstanding building and equipment operating lease obligations within, primarily, five years from December 31, 2021.
Payments Due By Period | Payments Due By Period | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Contractual Obligations | Total | Less than 1 year | 1-3 years | 4-5 years | After 5 years | Total | Less than 1 year | 1-3 years | 4-5 years | After 5 years | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Debt | $ | 4,733,333 | $ | 3,150,000 | $ | 1,583,333 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finance Lease Obligations | 422,595 | 215,181 | 180,931 | 26,483 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line of credit | $ | 20,040,000 | $ | 2,400,000 | $ | 17,640,000 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finance Leases | 70,981 | 44,498 | 26,483 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operating Leases | 8,026,181 | 1,580,453 | 3,658,660 | 2,067,452 | 719,616 | 5,482,708 | 2,228,784 | 3,244,696 | 9,228 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Insurance Financing Agreement | 280,910 | 280,910 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Contractual Cash Obligations | $ | 13,182,109 | $ | 4,945,634 | $ | 5,422,924 | $ | 2,093,935 | $ | 719,616 | $ | 25,874,599 | $ | 4,954,192 | $ | 20,911,179 | $ | 9,228 | $ | — |
Inflation.Inflation
Inflation historically has not had a material effect on our operations.operations, although the current inflationary environment in the U.S., and its impact on interest rates, the supply chain, the labor market and general economic conditions, are factors that the Company actively monitors in an attempt to mitigate and manage potential negative impacts on and risks faced by the Company. The majority of the Company’s long term contracts with both its customers reflect fixed pricing and its long term contracts with its suppliers reflect fixed pricing. When bidding for work, the Company takes inflation risk and supply side pricing risk into account in its proposals.
Item 7A. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK |
Not applicable.Interest Rate Risk
We are exposed to interest rate risk on variable-rate credit facilities for which there was $20,040,000 outstanding at December 31, 2023. Additionally, if we were to refinance our long-term debt, it may be refinanced at higher interest rates.
Item 8. | FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA |
This information appears following Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9. | CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE |
None.
Item 9A. | CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES |
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based on such evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective due to the material weaknessesweakness described below.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f), is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, our principal executive and principal financial officers and effected by our board of directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP and includes those policies and procedures that:
● | pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets; |
● | provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and |
● | provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements. |
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Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. 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.
Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting based on criteria established in Internal Control- Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”). Based on this evaluation, management concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective at the reasonable assurance level as of December 31, 20212023 because of the material weakness described below.
A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company’s annual or interim consolidated financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
2021 Material Weaknesses
In connection with management’s evaluation of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting described above, management identified a material weakness in its internal controls relating to the deficiencies described below that constitutedinadequate review, assessment of and reporting of the Company’s temporary differences between book and taxable income. This material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021. These deficiencies led to material errors in our previously issued consolidated financial statements for the annual periods ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 and the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, respectively, which in turnweakness led to the restatementneed to restate within Note 11 “Income Taxes” of those previously issued consolidated financial statements, as described in Part II, Item 8, Note 16 “Restatement of Previously Issued Consolidated Financial Statements” in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
During Q1 2021, we identified material weaknesses from10-K the month end closing processCompany’s December 31, 2022 deferred tax assets and INFORXA module used bydeferred tax liabilities balances, which had no impact to the CompanyCompany’s previously reported net deferred tax asset on its December 31, 2022 Balance Sheet and no impact to maintain the perpetual inventory reporting.Company’s previously reported Net Income, Earnings Per Share or Cash Flow for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022. The following issues were identified:
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Those which resulted in the need to restate the 2020 Financial Statements of CPI:
Those which resulted in the need to restate the 2019 Financial Statements of CPI:
Remediation Status of Previously Reported 2020 Material Weakness
In connection with management’s evaluationrestatement of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting described above, management has concluded that some, but not all,aforementioned balances, as well as additional details regarding the restatement adjustments, appears in Note 11 “Income Taxes” of the material weaknesses reported in itsthis Annual Report on Form 10-K for10-K. The Company is in the year ended December 31, 2020 have been remediated and that some, but not all, internal controls put in place to prevent future occurrencesprocess of theseremediating the aforementioned material weaknesses were effective asweakness. The Company’s remediation plans currently include conducting a comprehensive review of December 31, 2021.
As we continue to evaluatethe scope and work to improve our internal control over financial reporting, we may takeof its outside tax advisor, providing additional measures to further the overall objective to designeducation and operate internal controls that mitigate identified risks and enable an effective system of internal control over external financial reporting.
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CPI is a non-accelerated filer for 2021. As such, CPI is not subjecttraining in tax accounting to the requirement to have an auditor attestation report on internal controlits finance personnel and requiring additional review of, approval over financial reporting in the 10-K filed in 2022 for 2021. Accordingly, based upon its internal testing, management believes that as of December 31, 2021, it has not successfully remediated alland documentation of the internal control weaknesses which gave rise to the material errors as disclosed inwork product of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 as follows:tax advisor and tax accounting preparors.
Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Control Activities and MonitoringConclusion
Not Remediated as of December 31, 2021
During 2021, the Company Diagnosed, designed, tested and implemented software changes to its perpetual inventory system to improve management’s ability to properly value stated inventory costs. During 2022, the Company continues to improve its internal controls related to monitoring and review of inventory costing.
During 2021, the Company recruited and hired a new Chief Financial Officer, a new Controller, and several new financial team members, and implemented additional review and control procedures over the financial close and financial reporting processes of the Company. During 2022, the Company continues to improve its internal controls over the preparation and review of financial statement disclosures.
Remediated as of December 31, 2021
During 2021, management updated the Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual.
During 2021, the Company implemented a newly designed month-end accrual for in-transit inventory.
During 2021, the Company implemented new accounting procedures to ensure reserves are established and maintained for anticipated contract losses, reductions in the market values of inventory below cost, and excess or obsolete inventory.
During 2021, the Company implemented a policy over IT Change Management.
Conclusion
As described above, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) as of December 31, 2021.2023.
Notwithstanding the conclusion by our management that our controls and procedures as of December 31, 20212023 were not effective, and notwithstanding the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reportingas described above with respect to income tax accounting, management believes that the consolidated financial statements and related financial information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K fairly present in all material respects our financial position, results of operations and cash flows as of and for the dates presented, and for the periods ended on such dates, in conformity with U.S. GAAP.
The Company wasCPI is a non-accelerated filer for 2021.2023. As such, the Company wasCPI is not subject to the requirement to have an auditor attestation report on internal control over financial reporting in this Annual Report on Formthe 10-K filed in 2024 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 or for the Comprehensive Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.2023.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Other than the remediation efforts underway as referred todisclosed above, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended December 31, 20212023 that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting other than as described above.reporting.
During the quarter ended December 31, 2023, we implemented additional internal controls related to the reconciliation of accounts receivable that include more timely account reconciliation and transactional reviews, and strengthening oversight controls over the accounts receivable and billing function.
Item 9B. | OTHER INFORMATION |
None.
Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls and Procedures
In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. In addition, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and that management is required to apply judgment in evaluating the benefits of possible controls and procedures relative to their costs.
Item 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 9C. | DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS |
None.
Item 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
None.
PART III
Item 10. |
I
Incorporated herein by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement, which will be filed no later than 120 days after December 31, 2023.
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