👀 Ones to watch: The MOST undervalued stocks to buy right nowSee Undervalued Stocks

Earnings call: TechPrecision reports mixed Q1 2025 results amid challenges

EditorAhmed Abdulazez Abdulkadir
Published 2024-11-15, 06:38 a/m
TPCS
-

TechPrecision Corporation (OTC: TPCS), a custom manufacturer of large-scale precision components, reported its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. The company faced significant challenges, including an operating loss of $1.3 million, primarily due to serious equipment issues at its Stadco subsidiary and a one-time non-cash charge related to a terminated acquisition. Despite these setbacks, the company saw an 8% increase in consolidated revenue compared to the same period last year, with a strong backlog of $41.2 million indicating potential for future growth.

Key Takeaways

  • TechPrecision reported an operating loss of $1.3 million in Q1 of fiscal year 2025.
  • The loss was largely due to equipment problems at Stadco and a one-time charge from a terminated acquisition.
  • Consolidated revenue increased by 8% to $8 million, with Ranor subsidiary performing well.
  • The company recognized a non-cash charge of $400,000 in fair market valuation of shares.
  • TechPrecision's backlog remained strong at $41.2 million, expected to be delivered over the next one to three fiscal years.

Company Outlook

  • Customer confidence remains high with a consolidated backlog of $41.2 million.
  • The company expects to deliver its backlog over the next one to three years with gross margin expansion.
  • TechPrecision is focusing on tactical execution, risk mitigation, and managing cash flow.
  • The defense sector continues to provide meaningful opportunities for both Ranor and Stadco subsidiaries.

Bearish Highlights

  • Stadco experienced severe equipment problems leading to nearly doubled production costs.
  • The terminated Votaw Precision Manufacturing acquisition resulted in an operating loss and a one-time charge.
  • Gross profit shrank by 66% due to higher production costs and under-absorbed overhead.

Bullish Highlights

  • Ranor subsidiary's revenue was stable with $4.4 million, only slightly down from $4.5 million a year ago.
  • Stadco's revenue increased by 21% to $3.6 million compared to the same quarter last year.
  • The company maintained two sequential quarters of positive operating cash flow.

Misses

  • Consolidated gross profit was significantly lower at $0.2 million, a 66% decrease from the previous year.
  • SG&A expenses increased by $0.3 million, primarily due to the change in fair value for the breakup fee.
  • Cash balances decreased to approximately $45,000 from $138,000 at the end of the previous quarter.

Q&A Highlights

  • There were no questions taken during the earnings call due to the quiet period and pending proxy contest.
  • The company will return to its usual earnings call format after the annual meeting.

TechPrecision continues to navigate a challenging environment, marked by specific setbacks in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. However, the company's strong backlog and focus on risk mitigation strategies indicate a commitment to overcoming these challenges and improving performance in future quarters. TechPrecision serves critical sectors, including defense, which may provide a stable foundation for growth as the company works to resolve its current operational issues.

InvestingPro Insights

TechPrecision Corporation's (OTC: TPCS) recent financial results reflect a company grappling with significant challenges, as evidenced by both the reported data and insights from InvestingPro. The company's market capitalization stands at $32.98 million, which is relatively small and may contribute to its vulnerability to operational setbacks.

InvestingPro data shows that TPCS has a negative P/E ratio of -5.68 for the last twelve months as of Q1 2025, aligning with the company's reported operating loss. This is further supported by an InvestingPro Tip indicating that TechPrecision "is not profitable over the last twelve months." The tip that the company "may have trouble making interest payments on debt" is particularly relevant given the reported cash balance decrease to approximately $45,000, which could strain the company's ability to meet its financial obligations.

The gross profit margin of 11.37% for the last twelve months as of Q1 2025 corroborates another InvestingPro Tip that TPCS "suffers from weak gross profit margins." This is consistent with the article's mention of shrinking gross profit due to higher production costs and under-absorbed overhead.

Despite these challenges, it's worth noting that TechPrecision's revenue growth of 8.34% in Q1 2025 aligns with the 8% increase in consolidated revenue mentioned in the article. This growth, coupled with the strong backlog of $41.2 million, suggests potential for future improvement if the company can overcome its current operational issues.

InvestingPro offers additional tips that could provide further context for investors interested in TPCS. To access these insights and more detailed analysis, readers can explore the full range of tips available on InvestingPro.

Full transcript - Techprecision Corp (TPCS) Q1 2025:

Operator: Greetings. Welcome to the TechPrecision First Quarter 2025 Financial Results Conference Call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. It is now my pleasure to introduce your host, Mr. Brett Maas, Managing Director of Hayden IR. Thank you, sir. You may begin.

Brett Maas: Thank you. On the call today is Alex Shen, Chief Executive Officer; and Richard Roomberg, Chief Financial Officer. Before we begin, I'd like to remind our listeners that management's remarks may contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Therefore, the company claims the protection of the Safe Harbor for forward-looking statements as contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ from those discussed today, and therefore, we refer you to a more detailed discussion of risks and uncertainties in the company's financial filings with the SEC. In addition, projections as to the company's future performance represents management's estimates as of June 30th Form 10-Q filing period. TechPrecision assumes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements. With that out of the way, I'd like to turn the call over to Alex Shen, Chief Executive Officer, to provide opening remarks. Alex, the floor is yours.

Alex Shen: Thank you, Brett. Good afternoon to everyone and thank you for joining us. Because the fiscal year 2025 second quarter financials have not been released, we continue to be in a quiet period wherein we are limited in our ability to speak about the company's finances. In addition, as there is a pending proxy contest, we are under restrictions as to what we can speak about. As such, we will not be taking questions at the end of this earnings call. Once the annual meeting has been held, we expect to return to our usual earnings call format. To be blunt, Stadco had a very poor fiscal year 2025 first quarter ending June 30, 2024, resulting in large part from the terminated Votaw Precision Manufacturing acquisition incurring an operating loss of $1.3 million, primarily due to serious equipment problems. This was a direct result of our reducing maintenance and CapEx at Stadco to bare minimums starting during August 2023 in anticipation of the acquisition of Votaw as we had planned on immediately integrating Stadco into the Votaw facility. Since the termination of that acquisition, during April 2024, we have been playing catch-up in this area. However, our efforts were too late to prevent the equipment failures that resulted in dramatic increases to Stadco's costs of production during this period, in some cases, nearly doubling the cost of production. Further affecting our loss was an accounting measure as we recognized an additional onetime non-cash $400,000 charge in fair market valuation of TechPrecision shares issued and recognized during April 2024 as the breakup fee from the termination of the Votaw acquisition. There were no additional shares issued. That change in fair value fell directly to our bottom-line for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. At the same time, our Ranor subsidiary continued to perform well in fiscal year 2025 first quarter as our newly joined CFO, Richard Romberg, will speak to shortly. For the quarter, Ranor revenue of $4.4 million compared to revenue of $4.5 million a year ago. Fiscal year 2025 first quarter Stadco revenue was $3.6 million or a 21% increase versus the same quarter a year ago. For fiscal year 2025 first quarter, consolidated revenue was $8 million or 8% higher when compared to revenue of $7.4 million for the same period a year ago. Gross profit shrank due to higher production costs and under-absorbed overhead when compared to the same period a year ago, again, a direct result of the non-performing equipment at Stadco. Now, I'd like to turn the call over to our CFO, Richard Roomberg. Welcome aboard. Richard, please continue with the review of our first quarter results.

Richard Roomberg: Thank you, Alex. Great to be here and hello to everyone on the call. Reiterating what Alex stated, consolidated revenue for the fiscal year 2025 first quarter was $8 million or 8% higher when compared to $7.4 million in the same quarter a year ago. Projects executed in Q1 had overall relatively higher contract values as compared within the same period a year ago. Fiscal year 2025 first quarter consolidated cost of revenue was $7.7 million or 16% higher than the prior year period due primarily to higher production costs and under-absorbed overhead. As a result, fiscal year 2025 first quarter consolidated gross profit was $0.2 million or 66% lower compared to the same quarter a year ago as cost of revenue grew faster than revenue. Fiscal year 2025 first quarter SG&A expense increased by $0.3 million, primarily due to a change in fair value for the breakup fee in connection with the terminated Votaw acquisition during the quarter ended June 30th, 2024, and was roughly flat, excluding the change in fair value when compared to the same quarter a year ago. Operating loss was $1.3 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 as higher Stadco operating losses and the Votaw acquisition breakup fee more than offset flat operating income at Ranor for the quarter ended June 30th, 2024. Fiscal year 2025 first quarter interest expense increased by approximately $40,000 due to higher borrowing levels and higher interest rates under our revolver loan. There was $2.8 million of outstanding debt under the revolver loan as of June 30th, 2024, approximately the same as March 31st, 2024. Fiscal year 2025 first quarter net loss was $1.5 million. The company maintained a full valuation allowance of its deferred taxes. In summary, fiscal year 2025 first quarter results were primarily driven by the Stadco operating losses and the additional fee for the Votaw acquisition. Moving on to our financial position. Cash provided by operating activities was $0.1 million and cash used by financing activities was $0.2 million, and the company continued to pay down principal on its long-term debt. Our total debt was $7.5 million as of June 30th, 2024 as compared to $7.6 million as of March 31st, 2024. Cash balances as of June 30, 2024, was approximately $45,000 compared to approximately $138,000 as of March 31st, 2024. Working capital was negative as of June 30, 2024, as our previously classified long-term debt is currently classified as current because of debt covenant violations. With that, I will now turn the call back to you, Alex.

Alex Shen: Thank you, Richard. Customer confidence remains high as our consolidated backlog was $41.2 million as of June 30, 2024. We expect to deliver our strong backlog over the course of the next one to three fiscal years with gross margin expansion. We will continue to focus on tactical execution and risk mitigation, driving both subsidiaries to fully comprehend, successfully manage, and successfully meet customer expectations, enabling continuous recapture and continuous retention of customer confidence. We can all clearly see the positive results of this focus, evidenced by the continued high customer confidence, which enables us to maintain a strong backlog. We remain highly focused on cash management, a critical piece of risk mitigation and continue to manage and control expenses, capital expenditures, customer advances, progress billings, and final invoicing at shipment. We have maintained two sequential quarters of positive operating cash flow. As Richard noted, our debt has been reclassified as current or due in less than one year. For those on the call who may not be very familiar with our company, TechPrecision is a custom manufacturer of precision large-scale fabricated components and precision large-scale machined metal structural components. The components that we manufacture are customer designed. We sell to customers in two main industry sectors, defense and precision industrial markets. TechPrecision is proud and honored to serve the United States Defense industry, specifically naval submarine manufacturing through our Ranor subsidiary and military aircraft manufacturing through our Stadco subsidiary. We aim to secure and maintain enduring partnerships with our customers. Overall, in both the Ranor and the Stadco subsidiaries, we continue to see meaningful opportunities in our defense sector as evidenced by the strength of our backlog. We are encouraged by the prospects for growing our revenue and increasing profitability in future quarters. Thank you and have a good day.

End of Q&A: Thank you. This does conclude today's conference. You may disconnect and thank you for your participation.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.