Crawford United Corporation Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Crawford United Corporation (CRAWA) reports strong financial performance for the year and quarter ended December 31, 2023, with notable increases in sales, net income, and EBITDA. The company achieved sales of $143.9 million for the year, a 12.6% increase, and net income of $13.3 million, up by 101.5%. Earnings per share for the year were $3.77, reflecting robust growth. EBITDA As Defined also saw a significant increase of 64.1% to $25.6 million. The company's President and CEO expressed confidence in their business model's success and strategic priorities, highlighting a focus on revenue growth, profitability, and debt reduction.

Positive

• Strong financial performance with sales of $143.9 million for the year, up by 12.6%.
• Net income increased by 101.5% to $13.3 million for the year.
• Earnings per share for the year were $3.77, reflecting significant growth.
• EBITDA As Defined rose by 64.1% to $25.6 million for the year.
• Operating income saw a notable increase of 110.6% to $17.9 million in 2023.
• Debt reduction to $6.4 million by the end of the year.
• Confident outlook on long-term strategic priorities and potential for increased revenue and profitability.

Negative

• None.

• Earnings per share of $3.77 for the year and $0.91 for the quarter
• Sales of $143.9 million for the year, an increase of 12.6%
• Net income of $13.3 million for the year, an increase of 101.5%
• EBITDA As Defined¹ of $25.6 million for the year, an increase of 64.1%

CLEVELAND, March 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crawford United Corporation (OTC: CRAWA), a growth-oriented holding company serving diverse markets, today reported results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2023.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2023, sales were $33.8 million compared with $32.7 million in the same period in 2022, an increase of 3.4%. In the quarter, the Company recorded operating income of $3.4 million compared with operating income of $2.8 million in the same period of the prior year, an increase of 21.4%. Net income was $3.2 million, or $0.91 per fully diluted share, compared to $3.1 million, or $0.88 per fully diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of 3.2%. EBITDA As Defined was $5.1 million in the quarter compared to $4.3 million in the same period of the prior year, an increase of 18.6%.

For the year ended December 31, 2023, sales were $143.9 million compared with $127.8 million in 2022, an increase of 12.6%. In 2023, the Company recorded operating income of $17.9 million compared with operating income of $8.5 million in 2022, an increase of 110.6%.  Net income was $13.3 million, or $3.77 per fully diluted share, compared to $6.6 million, or $1.89 per fully diluted share, in 2022, an increase of 101.5%. EBITDA As Defined was $25.6 million, compared to $15.6 million in 2022, an increase of 64.1%. 

Brian Powers, President and CEO, stated, “We are pleased with the ongoing success of our business model and remain confident in our ability to achieve long-term strategic priorities. In 2023, we achieved all-time highs in sales, gross margin, operating income, net income and EBITDA As Defined. At the same time, we reduced our debt to $6.4 million at the end of the year. Crawford United is well positioned to pursue opportunities for increased revenue and profitability, always with an eye towards additional acquisitions.”

About Crawford United Corporation.
Crawford United Corporation is a growth-oriented holding company providing specialty industrial products to diverse markets, including healthcare, education, aerospace, defense, and transportation. The company currently operates two business segments. The Commercial Air Handling Equipment segment is a leader in designing, manufacturing, and installing highly customized, large-scale commercial, institutional, and industrial air handling solutions, primarily for hospitals and universities. The Industrial & Transportation Products segment provides highly complex precision components and coatings to customers in the aerospace and defense industries, as well as a full line of branded metal, silicone, plastic, rubber, hydraulic, marine and fuel hose products. For more information, go to www.crawfordunited.com.

Information about 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 statements made regarding the company’s future results. Generally, these statements can be identified by the use of words such as “guidance,” “outlook,” “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “seeks,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements, or other statements made by the Company, are made based on management's expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and are subject to uncertainties and factors (including, but not limited to, those specified below) which are difficult to predict and, in many instances, are beyond the control of the Company. As a result, actual results of the Company could differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any such forward-looking statements. These uncertainties and factors include (a) shortages in supply or increased costs of necessary products, components or raw materials from the Company’s suppliers; (b) availability shortages or increased costs of freight and labor for the Company and/or its suppliers; (c) actions that governments, businesses and individuals take in response to public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, including mandatory business closures and restrictions on onsite commercial interactions; (d) conditions in the global and regional economies and economic activity, including slow economic growth or recession, inflation, currency and credit market volatility, reduced capital expenditures and changes in government trade, fiscal, tax and monetary policies; (e) adverse effects from evolving geopolitical conditions, such as the military conflict in Ukraine and Israel; (f) the Company's ability to effectively integrate acquisitions, and manage the larger operations of the combined businesses, (g) the Company's dependence upon a limited number of customers and the aerospace industry, (h) the highly competitive industries in which the Company operates, which includes several competitors with greater financial resources and larger sales organizations, (i) the Company's ability to capitalize on market opportunities in certain sectors, (j) the Company's ability to obtain cost effective financing and (k) the Company's ability to satisfy obligations under its financing arrangements, and the other risks described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC.

Brian E. Powers
President & CEO
216-243-2449
bpowers@crawfordunited.com 

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¹ EBITDA As Defined is a Non-GAAP financial measure. Please refer to the definition and table at the end of this release for a reconciliation of EBITDA As Defined to net income.

CRAWFORD UNITED CORPORATION Consolidated Income Statement (Unaudited)
		Three Months Ended														Years Ended
		December 31,														December 31,
		2023							2022							2023							2022
Sales		$	33,827,050			100	%		$	32,660,531			100	%		$	143,885,934			100	%		$	127,754,927			100	%
Cost of Sales			26,081,729			77	%			25,072,450			77	%			106,239,852			74	%			100,722,146			79	%
Gross Profit			7,745,321			23	%			7,588,081			23	%			37,646,082			26	%			27,032,781			21	%
Operating Expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses			4,381,450			13	%			4,827,136			15	%			19,713,611			14	%			18,499,309			14	%
Operating Income			3,363,871			10	%			2,760,945			8	%			17,932,471			12	%			8,533,472			7	%
Other (Income) Expenses:
Interest charges			225,256			0	%			391,987			1	%			1,255,984			1	%			1,138,224			1	%
(Gain) loss on investments			(24,370	)		0	%			(324,834	)		-1	%			(7,330	)		0	%			860,273			1	%
Other (income) expense			(134,762	)		0	%			(39,442	)		0	%			(480,331	)		-1	%			(1,197,218	)		-1	%
Total Other (Income) and Expenses			66,124			0	%			27,711			0	%			768,323			0	%			801,279			1	%
Income before Income Taxes			3,297,747			10	%			2,733,234			8	%			17,164,148			12	%			7,732,194			6	%
Income tax expense			60,505			0	%			(336,485	)		-1	%			3,869,355			3	%			1,170,791			1	%
Net income		$	3,237,242			10	%		$	3,069,719			9	%		$	13,294,793			9	%		$	6,561,403			5	%
Net income per common share
Basic		$	0.92						$	0.88						$	3.79						$	1.89
Diluted		$	0.91						$	0.88						$	3.77						$	1.89
Weighted average shares outstanding
Basic			3,510,740							3,476,019							3,507,883							3,462,868
Diluted			3,544,043							3,476,019							3,526,836							3,462,868

CRAWFORD UNITED CORPORATION
Supplemental Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited)

EBITDA As Defined is a non-GAAP financial measure that reflects net income before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and also excludes certain charges and corporate-level expenses as defined in the Company's current revolving credit facility. The Company presents this non-GAAP financial measure because management uses EBITDA As Defined to assess the Company's performance and believes that EBITDA As Defined is useful to investors as an indication of the Company's compliance with its financial covenants in its revolving credit facility. Additionally, EBITDA As Defined is a measure used under the Company's revolving credit facility to determine whether the Company may incur additional debt under such facility. EBITDA As Defined is not a measure of performance under GAAP and should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, net income or cash flow information calculated in accordance with GAAP. EBITDA As Defined herein may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. The following table reconciles net income to EBITDA As Defined:

		Three Months Ended								Years Ended
		December 31,								December 31,
		2023				2022				2023				2022
Net income		$	3,237,242			$	3,069,719			$	13,294,793			$	6,561,403
Addback:
Interest charges			225,256				391,987				1,255,984				1,138,224
Income tax expense			60,505				(336,484	)			3,869,355				1,170,791
Depreciation and amortization			765,182				950,526				3,921,740				3,750,805
Non-cash stock-based compensation expense			224,318				19,807				1,377,423				957,728
Amortization of right of use assets			453,484				652,111				1,720,844				1,706,810
Unrealized loss (gain) on investments in equity securities			(24,370	)			324,834				(7,330	)			860,273
Gain on reversal of contingent liability			-				(750,000	)			-				(750,000	)
Non-recurring transaction charges			136,575				-				136,575				246,026
EBITDA As Defined		$	5,078,192			$	4,322,500			$	25,569,384			$	15,642,060

What were Crawford United Corporation's (CRAWA) sales for the year ended December 31, 2023?

Crawford United Corporation reported sales of $143.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, representing a 12.6% increase.

How much did Crawford United Corporation's (CRAWA) net income increase by for the year ended December 31, 2023?

Crawford United Corporation's net income increased by 101.5% to $13.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

What was Crawford United Corporation's (CRAWA) EBITDA As Defined for the year ended December 31, 2023?

Crawford United Corporation's EBITDA As Defined for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $25.6 million, reflecting a 64.1% increase.

How did Crawford United Corporation's (CRAWA) operating income perform in 2023?

Crawford United Corporation's operating income saw a significant increase of 110.6% to $17.9 million in 2023.

What was the debt reduction achieved by Crawford United Corporation (CRAWA) by the end of the year?

Crawford United Corporation reduced its debt to $6.4 million by the end of the year.