Firan Technology Group Corporation (TSX: FTG) today announced
financial results for the third quarter of 2024.
- Third quarter bookings of $45.9M were up 29% over Q3 2023.
- Third quarter revenues of $43.1M were up 18% over Q3 2023.
- FTG achieved Adjusted EBITDA in Q3 2024 of $7.2M, which was up
45% over Q3 2023.
- FTG achieved Net Earnings in Q3 2024 of $2.8M, which was up
109% over Q3 2023.
Business Highlights
In Q3 2024, FTG once again had strong bookings
because of increasing demand from all segments of the Aerospace and
Defence market. This, combined with strong operating performance
and continued progress in integrating last year’s acquisitions,
resulted in the Corporation achieving its best-ever quarterly
financial results for revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net
Earnings, and also strong cash flow from operating activities.
During Q3 2024, the Corporation has continued to
invest in technology in existing sites, grow the business
organically, and integrate the two acquisitions completed last
year. FTG is strategically deploying its capital in ways that will
drive increased shareholder returns for the future in both the near
term and long term. Specifically, FTG accomplished the following in
Q3 2024, which continues to improve the Company and position it for
the future:
- Integration activities in Circuits Minnetonka progressed well
in the quarter with continued improvements in throughput and
shipments. Demand remained strong across its customer base and new
customer activity progressed well. The site is fully operational in
the FTG standard ERP system they transitioned to in Q2 of this
year. As the quarter ended, a new General Manager was hired to lead
this site into 2025 and beyond.
- Integration activities in Circuits Haverhill advanced with the
installation of new drills and electrical test equipment. The
expansion of the customer base continued in the quarter. The
implementation of the FTG ERP system also progressed in the
quarter.
- Customer orders received in Q3 2024 totaled $45.9M, resulting
in a book-to-bill ratio of 1.07:1, and over the trailing 12 months
period ended Q3 2024, FTG has achieved a book-to-bill ratio of
1.15:1.
- As of August 30, 2024, FTG had total backlog of $121.4M, which
is a 24% increase over the Q3 2023 backlog of $98.0M.
Table 1 / Key Financial
Metrics
|
Three months ended |
Nine months ended |
|
August 30, |
|
September 1, |
|
|
August 30, |
|
September 1, |
|
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales |
$43,088 |
|
$36,611 |
|
|
$116,852 |
|
$95,209 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross
Margin |
|
11,623 |
|
|
8,776 |
|
|
|
31,360 |
|
|
28,546 |
|
Gross Margin
(%) |
|
27.0 |
% |
|
24.0 |
% |
|
|
26.8 |
% |
|
30.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Earnings to FTG Equity Holders |
$2,764 |
|
$1,320 |
|
|
$6,367 |
|
$7,795 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjustments |
|
|
|
|
|
Government assistance, net of tax |
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
(3,758 |
) |
Acquisition and divesture expenses, net of tax |
|
- |
|
|
79 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
615 |
|
Adjusted Net Earnings(1) |
$2,764 |
|
$1,399 |
|
|
$6,367 |
|
$4,652 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earnings Per
Share |
|
|
|
|
|
Basic |
$0.12 |
|
$0.06 |
|
|
$0.27 |
|
$0.33 |
|
Diluted |
$0.11 |
|
$0.05 |
|
|
$0.26 |
|
$0.32 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted Earnings Per
Share |
|
|
|
|
|
Basic |
$0.12 |
|
$0.06 |
|
|
$0.27 |
|
$0.19 |
|
Diluted |
$0.11 |
|
$0.06 |
|
|
$0.26 |
|
$0.19 |
|
(1) Adjusted Net Earnings is not a measure
recognized under International Financial Reporting Standards
(“IFRS”). Management believes that this measure is important to
many of the Corporation’s shareholders, creditors and other
stakeholders. The Corporation’s method of calculating Adjusted Net
Earnings may differ from other corporations and accordingly may not
be comparable to measures used by other corporations.
FTG's sales increased by $6.5M, or 17.7%, from
$36.6M in Q3 2023 to $43.1M in Q3 2024. The revenue increase in Q3
2024 was driven by organic growth, including an increase in
Simulator products sales of $1.2M, and favourable foreign exchange
rates. Year-to-date, sales have increased by $21.6M, or 22.7%,
compared to year-to-date 2023. Year-to-date sales growth was driven
by the acquisitions and organic growth, partially offset by lower
simulator product sales and the strike at Aerospace Toronto in Q1
2024.
The Circuits segment sales in Q3 2024 were up $3.6M, or 13.3%,
compared to last year as a result of strong customer demand and
improved throughput. On a year-to-date basis, the Circuits segment
sales were up $22.3M, or 34.9%, with $16.9M from acquisitions and
$5.4M of organic growth. Circuits sites in Minnetonka and Haverhill
were acquired in April 2023, and year-to-date 2024 includes nine
months of operating results for these sites, as compared to four
months in 2023 year-to-date results.
For the Aerospace segment, sales in Q3 2024 increased by $3.4M,
or 34.2%, compared to last year, due to a $1.2M increase in
Simulator products sales and a $2.2M increase in other organic
sales. On a year-to-date basis, Aerospace segment sales decreased
by $0.3M, or 0.8%. This decrease was primarily due to a $6.3M drop
in year-to-date Simulator product sales and a $3.0M impact from the
Aerospace Toronto strike in Q1 24, which was partially offset by
$9.0M in organic growth.
Gross margin in Q3 2024 was $11.6M, or 27.0%, as compared to
$8.8M, or 24.0%, in Q3 2023. The increase in gross margin dollars
and the gross margin rate primarily stems from higher sales volumes
and operational improvements across FTG’s operations. For the
year-to-date period, the gross margin rate excluding government
assistance is 26.8% for 2024, as compared to 26.7% for 2023.
Factors increasing the gross margin rate include leverage from
higher sales volumes and productivity improvements, while factors
decreasing the gross margin rate include the decrease in sales of
Simulator products, which is cyclical in nature, and the strike at
Aerospace Toronto in Q1 2024.
Net earnings after tax at FTG in Q3 2024 was $2.8M or $0.11 per
diluted share compared to net earnings of $1.3M or $0.05 per
diluted share in Q3 2023. The $1.4M increase in net earnings is the
result of both higher sales volume and operational improvements. On
a year-to-date basis, adjusted net earnings was $6.4M or $0.26 per
diluted share compared to adjusted net earnings of $4.7M or $0.19
per diluted share in the prior year period, with the most
significant adjustment being the exclusion of Government support in
the 2023 results. The increase in adjusted net earnings for the
year-to-date period is inclusive of the negative impacts of the
decrease in Simulator products sales and the strike at Aerospace
Toronto.
The Circuits segment earnings before interest and income taxes
(“EBIT”) was $3.5M in Q3 2024 as compared to $2.2M in Q3 2023. The
increase in Circuits segment EBIT is primarily driven by higher
sales volume and operational improvements. Year-to-date, Circuits
segment EBIT was $8.8M as compared to $7.6M in 2023. Excluding the
$2.8M of government assistance in 2023, Circuits segment EBIT
increased by $4.0M.
The Aerospace segment EBIT was $2.4M in Q3 2024 versus $1.6M in
Q3 2023. The increase in earnings was driven by the increase in
sales. Year-to-date, Aerospace segment EBIT was $5.8M as compared
to $6.7M in 2023 with sales being relatively flat. Excluding $1.0M
of government assistance in 2023, Aerospace segment EBIT was up
$0.1M. Aerospace segment EBIT in 2024 has been negatively impacted
by lower Simulator revenue and the strike in Q1 2024 at Aerospace
Toronto.
Table 2 / EBITDA
|
Three months ended |
|
Nine months ended |
|
Trailing 12 Months |
|
August 30, |
September 1, |
|
August 30, |
September 1, |
|
|
|
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
|
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
|
|
Net earnings to equity holders of FTG |
$2,764 |
$1,320 |
|
$6,367 |
$7,795 |
|
|
$10,193 |
Add: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest and accretion |
|
569 |
|
542 |
|
|
1,681 |
|
771 |
|
|
|
2,193 |
Income taxes |
|
1,446 |
|
944 |
|
|
3,257 |
|
2,693 |
|
|
|
2,789 |
Depreciation and amortization |
|
2,160 |
|
1,998 |
|
|
6,285 |
|
4,938 |
|
|
|
8,235 |
EBITDA(1) |
$6,939 |
$4,804 |
|
$17,590 |
$16,197 |
|
|
$23,410 |
Adjustments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock based compensation |
|
247 |
|
90 |
|
|
633 |
|
315 |
|
|
|
830 |
Government assistance |
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
- |
|
(3,758 |
) |
|
|
- |
Acquisition and divesture expenses |
|
- |
|
79 |
|
|
- |
|
615 |
|
|
|
- |
Adjusted EBITDA(1) |
$7,186 |
$4,973 |
|
$18,223 |
$13,369 |
|
|
$24,240 |
(1) EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not
measures recognized under International Financial Reporting
Standards (“IFRS”). Management believes that these measures are
important to many of the Corporation’s shareholders, creditors and
other stakeholders. The Corporation’s method of calculating EBITDA
and Adjusted EBITDA may differ from other corporations and
accordingly may not be comparable to measures used by other
corporations.
Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2024 was $7.2M or 16.7%
of sales, as compared to $5.0M or 13.6% of sales in Q3 2023. The
increase in profitability is driven by increased operating leverage
from higher sales and operational improvements across FTG’s
operations. For the trailing twelve months period ended August 30,
2024, adjusted EBITDA was $24.2M or 16.1% of sales as compared to
$19.4M or 14.3% of sales for the full year 2023.
As at August 30, 2024, the Corporation’s net
working capital was $47.8M, compared to $41.0M at year-end in
2023.
Cash flow from operating activities in Q3 2024
was $5.3M as compared to $3.5M in Q3 2023 primarily due to higher
net earnings. Cash used for lease liability payments was $1.0M in
Q3 2024 as compared to $0.9M in Q3 2023. Year-to-date cash flow
from operating activities was $10.0M in 2024 as compared to $7.3M
in the same period in 2023. Excluding $3.8M of Employee Retention
Credit included in the year-to-date period in 2023, year-to-date
cash flow from operating activities increased by $6.5M.
Net debt at the end of Q3 2024 was $2.2M
compared to net debt of $3.6M at the end of 2023. During the
quarter, the Corporation paid the holdback on the IMI acquisition
of $0.4M. In addition, FTG has access to committed credit lines of
approximately $23.8M.
The Corporation will host a live conference call
on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 4:00pm (Eastern) to discuss the
results of Q3 2024.
Anyone wishing to participate in the call should dial
1-289-514-5100 or 1-800-717-1738, Conference ID 24844, and identify
that you are calling to participate in the FTG conference call. The
Chair is Mr. Brad Bourne. A replay of the call will be available
until November 15, 2024, and will be available on the FTG website
at www.ftgcorp.com. The number to call for a rebroadcast is
1-289-819-1325 or 1-888-660-6264, Playback Passcode 24844#.
ABOUT FIRAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORPORATION
FTG is an aerospace and defence electronics
product and subsystem supplier to customers around the globe. FTG
has two operating units:
FTG Circuits is a manufacturer of high
technology, high reliability printed circuit boards. Our customers
are leaders in the aviation, defence, and high technology
industries. FTG Circuits has operations in Toronto, Ontario,
Chatsworth, California, Fredericksburg, Virginia, Minnetonka,
Minnesota, Haverhill Massachusetts and a joint venture in Tianjin,
China.
FTG Aerospace manufactures and repairs
illuminated cockpit panels, keyboards and electronic assemblies for
original equipment manufacturers of aerospace and defence
equipment. FTG Aerospace has operations in Toronto, Ontario,
Chatsworth, California, and Tianjin, China.
The Corporation's shares are traded on the
Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol FTG.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains certain
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are
related to, but not limited to, FTG’s operations, anticipated
financial performance, business prospects and strategies.
Forward-looking information typically contains words such as
“anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan” or similar words
suggesting future outcomes. Such statements are based on the
current expectations of management of the Corporation and
inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and
unknown, including economic factors and the Corporation’s industry,
generally. The preceding list is not exhaustive of all possible
factors. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of
future performance and actual events and results could differ
materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking
statements made by the Corporation. The reader is cautioned to
consider these and other factors carefully when making decisions
with respect to the Corporation and not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. Other than as may be required by law,
FTG disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
For further information please
contact:
Bradley C. Bourne, President and CEOFiran
Technology Group CorporationTel: (416) 299-4000
x314bradbourne@ftgcorp.com
Jamie Crichton, Vice President and CFOFiran
Technology Group CorporationTel: (416) 299-4000
x264jamiecrichton@ftgcorp.com
Additional information can be found at the
Corporation’s website www.ftgcorp.com
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