Bel Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

WEST ORANGE, N.J., Feb. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bel Fuse Inc. (Nasdaq: BELFA and BELFB) today announced preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024.

Fourth Quarter 2024 Highlights

   -- Net sales of $149.9 million compared to $140.0 million in Q4-23. 
      Excluding $20.8 million of contribution from Enercon, organic sales down 
      7.8% from Q4-23. 
 
   -- Gross profit margin of 37.5%, up from 36.6% in Q4-23 
 
   -- GAAP net loss attributable to Bel shareholders of $1.8 million versus 
      GAAP net earnings attributable to Bel shareholders of $12.0 million in 
      Q4-23 
 
   -- Non-GAAP net earnings attributable to Bel shareholders of $19.0 million 
      versus $19.5 million in Q4-23 
 
   -- Adjusted EBITDA of $30.3 million (20.2% of sales) as compared to $27.3 
      million (19.5% of sales) in Q4-23 
 
   -- Completed acquisition of Enercon, making aerospace and defense Bel's 
      largest end market served 

Full Year 2024 Highlights

   -- Net sales of $534.8 million compared to $639.8 million in 2023. Excluding 
      contribution from Enercon, organic sales down 19.7%. 
 
   -- Gross profit margin of 37.8%, up from 33.7% in 2023 
 
   -- GAAP net earnings attributable to Bel shareholders of $41.0 million 
      versus $73.8 million in 2023 
 
   -- Non-GAAP net earnings attributable to Bel shareholders of $72.1 million 
      versus $89.6 million in 2023 
 
   -- Adjusted EBITDA of $101.9 million (19.0% of sales), down from $116.8 
      million (18.3% of sales) in 2023 

"Bel's profitability levels remained strong throughout 2024 despite a challenging top line environment," said Daniel Bernstein, President and CEO. "Our recent initiatives in operational efficiencies and global mindset of financial discipline has strengthened Bel's foundation, enabling us to thrive despite the macro conditions we faced. We could not be more pleased with our acquisition of Enercon, both operationally and from a team perspective. We are excited to embark on 2025 as a new team, working together to progress on revenue synergy opportunities that we have identified across our two businesses. On a personal note, as recently announced, I look forward to working with Farouq in the coming months as I transition the roles of President and CEO to the next generation," concluded Mr. Bernstein.

Farouq Tuweiq, CFO, added, "Our priority for 2024 was to take actions to drive future top line growth and further refine our organizational structure to enhance operational efficiencies. In this regard, we were successful in achieving a series of initiatives. During the fourth quarter, we closed on our acquisition of Enercon, the largest transaction in Bel's history. Enercon adds scale, diversity and a strong financial profile to Bel's legacy business. Further, in October 2024, Uma Pingali joined Bel as our first Global Head of Sales. Under Uma's leadership, we are laying the foundation of a new cohesive global sales structure and strategy aimed at driving top line growth across all product groups, geographies and end markets. On the internal initiative side, we announced two additional facility consolidation projects in 2024 and have initiated a strategic focus on global procurement with the hiring of Anubhav Gothi. Each of these actions completed in 2024 will serve to support Bel's growth and profitability objectives for 2025.

"Looking ahead, we are encouraged to see the tide turning in terms of demand from our networking and distribution partners. We anticipate the rebound in these areas will be slow and steady throughout 2025. Based on information available today, GAAP net sales in the first quarter of 2025 are expected to be in the range of $144 to $154 million, with gross margin in the range of 36% to 38%. We are excited entering 2025 as a more nimble organization and look forward to executing on the growth opportunities in the year ahead," concluded Mr. Tuweiq.

Non-GAAP financial measures, such as Non-GAAP net earnings attributable to Bel shareholders, Non-GAAP EPS, Non-GAAP Operating Income and Adjusted EBITDA, adjust corresponding GAAP measures for provision for income taxes, other income/expense, net, interest income/expense, and depreciation and amortization, and also exclude, where applicable for the covered period presented in the financial statements, certain unusual or special items identified by management such as restructuring charges, gains/losses on sales of businesses and properties, acquisition related costs, impairment charges, noncontrolling interest ("NCI") adjustments from fair value to redemption value, and certain litigation costs. In addition, in the fourth quarter of 2024, we modified our presentation of Non-GAAP financial measures, including revising our definitions of Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP EPS, to additionally exclude from these Non-GAAP measures (i) stock-based compensation, (ii) amortization of intangibles (which primarily relates to the amortization of finite-lived customer relationships and technology associated with the Company's historical acquisitions, including those associated with the recent acquisition of Enercon), and (iii) unrealized foreign currency exchange (gains) losses. We believe this change enhances investor insight into our operational performance. We have applied this modified definition of Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP EPS to all periods presented. Non-GAAP adjusted net sales exclude expedite fee revenue. Please refer to the financial information included with this press release for reconciliations of GAAP financial measures to Non-GAAP financial measures and our explanation of why we present Non-GAAP financial measures.

Conference Call

Bel has scheduled a conference call for 8:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 to discuss these results. To participate in the conference call, investors should dial 877-407-0784, or 201-689-8560 if dialing internationally. The presentation will additionally be broadcast live over the Internet and will be available at https://ir.belfuse.com/events-and-presentations. The webcast will be available via replay for a period of at least 30 days at this same Internet address. For those unable to access the live call, a telephone replay will be available at 844-512-2921, or 412-317-6671 if dialing internationally, using access code 13750153 after 12:30 pm ET, also for 30 days.

About Bel

Bel (www.belfuse.com) designs, manufactures and markets a broad array of products that power, protect and connect electronic circuits. These products are primarily used in the networking, telecommunications, computing, general industrial, high-speed data transmission, defense, commercial aerospace, transportation and eMobility industries. Bel's portfolio of products also finds application in the automotive, medical, broadcasting and consumer electronics markets. Bel's product groups include Power Solutions and Protection (front-end, board-mount and industrial power products, module products and circuit protection), Connectivity Solutions (expanded beam fiber optic, copper-based, RF and RJ connectors and cable assemblies), and Magnetic Solutions (integrated connector modules, power transformers, power inductors and discrete components). The Company operates facilities around the world.

Company Contact:

Farouq Tuweiq

Chief Financial Officer

ir@belf.com

Investor Contact:

Three Part Advisors

Jean Marie Young, Managing Director or Steven Hooser, Partner

631-418-4339

jyoung@threepa.com; shooser@threepa.com

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, our guidance for the first quarter of 2025; our statements regarding our expectations for future periods generally including anticipated financial performance, projections and trends for the remainder of the 2025 year ahead and other future periods; our statements regarding future events, performance, plans, intentions, beliefs, expectations and estimates, including statements regarding matters such as trends and expectations as to our sales, gross margin, products, product groups, customers, geographies and end markets; statements about the anticipated benefits of the recently-closed Enercon acquisition, including our beliefs about the potential future advantages of the acquisition for Bel's operations, team, and with respect to revenue synergy opportunities; statements expressing management's optimism for 2025 and for the future generally; statements about the process of transitioning the roles of President and CEO to the next generation; statements regarding Bel's plans and intentions in respect of corporate projects and objectives, including plans for initiatives and efficiencies, and including statements about the intention to drive future top line growth and refine the organizational structure to enhance operational efficiencies; statements about the anticipated future contributions of new employees recently joining Bel and the role of such newly-created positions in the corporate team; statements about Bel's sales structure and strategy aimed at driving top line growth across product groups, geographies and end markets; statements about facility consolidation projects and strategic focus on global procurement, and the anticipated benefits thereof including with respect to supporting Bel's growth and profitability objectives for 2025; Anticipated demand from networking and distribution partners; size and capabilities of the organization; statements about executing on growth opportunities; statements regarding our expectations and beliefs regarding trends in the Company's business and industry and the markets in which Bel operates, and about broader market trends and the macroeconomic environment generally, and other statements regarding the Company's positioning, its strategies,

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