Astronics Corp (ATRO) Q3 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue Growth and Aerospace ...

GuruFocus.com
07 Nov 2024
  • Revenue Growth: Sales increased by 25% year over year.
  • Adjusted Net Income: $12.2 million or 35 per share.
  • Adjusted EBITDA: $27 million, representing 13% of sales.
  • Aerospace Segment Sales Growth: Up 25% for the quarter and 19% for the year.
  • Adjusted Operating Margin (Aerospace): 14.2% in the quarter, up from 3.5% a year ago.
  • GAAP Gross Margin: Improved to 21%, up 8.3 points from the prior year.
  • Adjusted Gross Margin: Improved to 23%.
  • Cash Flow from Operations: $8 million generated in the third quarter.
  • Net Debt: Approximately $174 million at the end of the quarter.
  • Backlog: $612 million entering the fourth quarter.
  • Fourth Quarter Sales Forecast: Expected to be in the range of $190 million to $210 million.
  • Full Year Sales Forecast: 2024 year-end sales expected to be between $777 million and $797 million.
  • Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Signs with ATRO.

Release Date: November 06, 2024

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • Astronics Corp (NASDAQ:ATRO) reported a strong third quarter with sales up 25% year over year, reaching the high end of their forecasted range.
  • The aerospace segment showed significant improvement with a 25% sales increase for the quarter and a 19% increase for the year, alongside an adjusted operating margin rise to 14.2%.
  • Supply chain improvements and subsiding input cost pressures have positively impacted operational performance.
  • Astronics Corp (NASDAQ:ATRO) has a strong backlog entering the fourth quarter, totaling $612 million, which is significantly higher than previous years.
  • The company anticipates continued growth and margin improvement into 2025, with a sales forecast to be released in December or January.

Negative Points

  • Astronics Corp (NASDAQ:ATRO) faced significant legal expenses of $5.6 million related to a UK hearing, impacting their financial results.
  • The bankruptcy of an E VTOL customer, Lillian, resulted in a $2.2 million charge, highlighting potential risks in the segment.
  • A rare warranty reserve of $3.5 million was required for an underperforming electrical power system, affecting profitability.
  • The Boeing strike has created uncertainty, potentially impacting fourth-quarter revenues and causing inventory levels to remain higher than desired.
  • Astronics Corp (NASDAQ:ATRO) is involved in ongoing legal battles, including a patent infringement case in the UK, with potential damages sought up to $105 million, posing a financial risk.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you quantify the impact from Boeing on a monthly basis and what run rate do you expect as we ramp through 2025? A: We don't know the exact impact yet. Boeing shut us down, leading to inventory accumulation. We expect them to start slow and accelerate over the year. They aim to catch up to pre-strike rates, but we'll see how realistic that is. We expect to be held at a rate that keeps us healthy but not ahead of them. The main plane affected is the 737, and we expect to resume shipments at a lower rate than the previous 32-33 ship sets a month.

Q: At the lower ship rate per month, does that impact your margins? A: It's still profitable work. Higher volumes mean higher profits, but the lower rate won't materially affect our margins across the business.

Q: Do you see cash flow or net debt improving in Q4, or will it extend until you start shipping and billing again? A: We expect continued strong cash flow into the fourth quarter. A month into it, cash flow has been very positive, and we think it will continue for the rest of the quarter.

Q: How much of your Q4 revenue forecast is new production versus retrofit or aftermarket? A: We've been running around 50/50 line fit and aftermarket. The 737 coming down might skew this towards aftermarket by $8 to $10 million if Boeing doesn't turn us back on. However, overall trends remain positive, and airline customers have been consistent with demand schedules.

Q: Is there an opportunity for IFE power products at Southwest given their cabin overhauls? A: Yes, Southwest is a major customer, and we're involved in their cabin refreshes. We developed a new architecture of C power, largely with Southwest, which is featured in their new cabins. This architecture is lighter and more cost-effective, and we've been successful selling it globally.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.

Most Discussed

  1. 1
     
     
     
     
  2. 2
     
     
     
     
  3. 3
     
     
     
     
  4. 4
     
     
     
     
  5. 5
     
     
     
     
  6. 6
     
     
     
     
  7. 7
     
     
     
     
  8. 8
     
     
     
     
  9. 9
     
     
     
     
  10. 10