ETC Announces Fiscal 2021 First Quarter Results

SOUTHAMPTON, Pa., Jan. 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Environmental Tectonics Corporation (OTC Pink: ETCC) (“ETC” or the “Company”) today reported its financial results for the thirteen week period ended May 29, 2020 (the “2021 first quarter”).

Robert L. Laurent, Jr., ETC’s Chief Executive Officer and President stated, “Fiscal 2020 was a challenging year as future projects were delayed and that challenge was compounded in the 2021 first quarter due to COVID-19 global pandemic related lock downs, which delayed orders and our ability to deliver.”

Fiscal 2021 First Quarter Results of Operations

Net Loss Attributable to ETC

Net loss attributable to ETC was $1.6 million, or $0.11 diluted loss per share, in the 2021 first quarter, compared to $0.5 million during the 2020 first quarter, equating to $0.04 diluted loss per share. The $1.1 million variance is due to the combined effect of a $2.0 million decrease in gross profit, offset, in part, by a $0.6 million decrease in operating expenses, a $0.2 million decrease in other expense, net, a $22 thousand decrease in interest expense, net, and a $28 thousand increase in loss attributable to non-controlling interest.

Net Sales

Net sales in the 2021 first quarter were $4.9 million, a decrease of $5.9 million, or 54.6%, compared to 2020 first quarter net sales of $10.8 million. The decrease reflects lower International sales, especially within Aeromedical Training Solutions, lower Domestic sales, especially within Simulation, lower overall Sterilizers sales, and lower monoplace chambers sales as a result of the asset sale on November 27, 2019, offset, in part, by an increase in U.S. Government sales within Aeromedical Training Solutions in conjunction with the U.S. Air Force’s final acceptance of the RAC Contract.

Gross Profit

Gross profit for the 2021 first quarter was $0.5 million compared to $2.5 million in the 2020 first quarter, a decrease of $2.0 million, or 79.0%. The decrease in gross profit was due to lower net sales not being able to support fixed overhead expenses. Lower net sales were generated due to the combination of a lower backlog entering fiscal 2021 compounded with the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic, which not only impacted the Company’s ability to generate bookings, especially internationally, but also forced the closure of our corporate headquarters and main production plant for about one-third of the 2021 first quarter in accordance with Pennsylvania state mandates. Gross profit margin as a percentage of net sales decreased to 10.6% for the 2021 first quarter compared to 22.9% for the 2020 first quarter.

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses, including sales and marketing, general and administrative, and research and development, for the 2021 first quarter were $2.0 million, a decrease of $0.6 million, or 22.9%, compared to $2.6 million for the 2020 first quarter. The decrease in operating expenses was due primarily to lower selling and marketing expenses, which included a decrease in commission expense based on a lower concentration of International sales related to ATS products, a reduction in headcount, and a decrease in travel caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Other (Income) Expense, Net

Other income, net for the 2021 first quarter was $17 thousand compared to other expense, net of $150 thousand for the 2020 first quarter, a variance of $0.2 million due primarily to lower letter of credit fees and realized exchange gains on foreign currency.

Cash Flows from Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities

During the 2021 first quarter, due primarily from the net loss incurred, the increase in contract assets, and the decrease in accounts payable, offset, in part by the decrease in accounts receivable, the Company used $2.6 million of cash for operating activities compared to $6.7 million during the 2020 first quarter. Under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, these accounts represent the timing differences of spending on production activities versus the billing and collecting of customer payments.

Cash used for investing activities primarily relates to funds used for capital expenditures of equipment and software development. The Company’s investing activities used $14 thousand during the 2021 first quarter compared to $0.1 million during the 2020 first quarter.

The Company’s financing activities provided $3.4 million of cash during the 2021 first quarter with proceeds from the Payroll Protection Program loan and borrowings under the Company’s credit facility compared to $5.6 million during the 2020 first quarter exclusively from borrowings under the Company’s credit facility.

About ETC

ETC was incorporated in 1969 in Pennsylvania. For over five decades, we have provided our customers with products, services, and support. Innovation, continuous technological improvement and enhancement, and product quality are core values that are critical to our success. We are a significant supplier and innovator in the following areas: (i) software driven products and services used to create and monitor the physiological effects of flight, including high performance jet tactical flight simulation, fixed and rotary wing upset prevention and recovery and spatial disorientation, and both suborbital and orbital commercial human spaceflight, collectively, Aircrew Training Systems (“ATS”); (ii) altitude (hypobaric) chambers; (iii) hyperbaric chambers for multiple persons (multiplace chambers); (iv) Advanced Disaster Management Simulators (“ADMS”); (v) steam and gas (ethylene oxide) sterilizers; (vi) environmental testing and simulation systems (“ETSS”); and (vii) hyperbaric (100% oxygen) chambers for one person (monoplace chambers). On November 27, 2019, the Company entered into an asset purchase agreement to sell substantially all of its rights, title, and interest in and to the assets related to monoplace chambers.

We operate in two primary business segments, Aerospace Solutions (“Aerospace”) and Commercial/ Industrial Systems (“CIS”). Aerospace encompasses the design, manufacture, and sale of: (i) ATS products; (ii) altitude (hypobaric) chambers; (iii) hyperbaric chambers for multiple persons (multiplace chambers); and (iv) ADMS, as well as integrated logistics support (“ILS”) for customers who purchase these products or similar products manufactured by other parties. These products and services provide customers with an offering of comprehensive solutions for improved readiness and reduced operational costs. Sales of our Aerospace products are made principally to U.S. and foreign government agencies and to civil aviation organizations. CIS encompasses the design, manufacture, and sale of: (i) steam and gas (ethylene oxide) sterilizers; (ii) ETSS; and (iii) hyperbaric (100% oxygen) chambers for one person (monoplace chambers), as well as parts and service support for customers who purchase these products or similar products manufactured by other parties. Sales of our CIS products are made principally to the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and automotive industries.

ETC-PZL Aerospace Industries Sp. z o.o. (“ETC-PZL”), our 95%-owned subsidiary in Warsaw, Poland, is currently our only operating subsidiary. ETC-PZL manufactures certain simulators and provides software to support products manufactured domestically within our Aerospace segment.

The majority of our net sales are generated from long-term contracts with U.S. and foreign government agencies (including foreign military sales (“FMS”) contracted through the U.S. Government) for the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of ATS products, including altitude (hypobaric) and multiplace chambers (“Chambers”), and the simulators manufactured and sold through ETC-PZL, collectively, Aeromedical Training Solutions. The Company also enters into long-term contracts with domestic customers for the sale of sterilizers and ETSS. Net sales of ADMS and monoplace chambers are generally much shorter term in nature and vary between domestic and international customers. We generally provide our products and services under fixed-price contracts.

ETC’s unique ability to offer complete systems, designed and produced to high technical standards, sets it apart from its competition. ETC is headquartered in Southampton, PA. For more information about ETC, visit http://www.etcusa.com/ .

Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements, which are based on management’s expectations and are subject to uncertainties and changes in circumstances. Words and expressions reflecting something other than historical fact are intended to identify forward-looking statements, and these statements may include words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “future”, “predict”, “potential”, “intend”, or “continue”, and similar expressions. We base our forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events or future financial performance. Our forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about ETC and its subsidiaries that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results implied by these forward-looking statements. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

- Financial Tables Follow -

* In addition to disclosing financial results that are determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), we also disclose Earnings Before Income Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (“EBITDA”). The presentation of a non-U.S. GAAP financial measure such as EBITDA is intended to enhance the usefulness of financial information by providing a measure that management uses internally to evaluate our expenses and operating performance and factors into several of our financial covenant calculations.

A reader may find this item important in evaluating our performance. Management compensates for the limitations of using non-U.S. GAAP financial measures by using them only to supplement our U.S. GAAP results to provide a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting our business.