Dorman Products, Inc. 10-Q

ITEM 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” should be read in conjunction with the condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in PART I, ITEM 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. As used herein, unless the context requires otherwise, “Dorman,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refers to Dorman Products, Inc. and its subsidiaries. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this document constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements related to the global coronavirus pandemic, net sales, diluted earnings per share, gross profit, gross margin, selling, general and administrative expenses, income tax expense, income before income taxes, net income, cash and cash equivalents, indebtedness, liquidity, the Company’s share repurchase program, the Company’s outlook, the Company’s growth opportunities and future business prospects, operational costs and productivity initiatives, inflation, customs duties and mitigation of tariffs, long-term value, acquisitions and acquisition opportunities, investments, cost offsets, quarterly fluctuations, new product development, customer concessions, and fluctuations in foreign currency. Words such as “may,” “believe,” “demonstrate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “will” and “likely” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean the statements are not forward-looking. In addition, statements that are not historical should also be considered forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on those forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors (many of which are outside of our control) which may cause actual events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated or projected. Please refer to “Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors” located in Part I of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), as updated by our subsequent filings with the SEC, for a description of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied by the forward-looking statements. The Company is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update any of the information in this document, including but not limited to any situation where any forward-looking statement later turns out to be inaccurate whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Introduction The following discussion and analysis, as well as other sections in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, should be read in conjunction with the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto of Dorman Products, Inc. included in “ITEM 1. Financial Statements” of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and with Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the audited consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. 15 Table of Contents This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains the registered and unregistered trademarks or service marks of Dorman and are the property of Dorman Products, Inc. and/or its affiliates. This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q also may contain additional trade names, trademarks or service marks belonging to other companies. We do not intend our use or display of other parties’ trademarks, trade names or service marks to imply, and such use or display should not be construed to imply, a relationship with or endorsement or sponsorship of us by these parties. Overview We are one of the leading suppliers of replacement and upgrade parts in the motor vehicle aftermarket industry, serving passenger cars, light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks, as well as specialty vehicles, including utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). As of December 31, 2022, we marketed approximately 129,000 distinct parts, many of which we designed and engineered. This number excludes private label stock-keeping units and other variations in how we market, package and distribute our products, includes distinct parts of acquired companies and reflects distinct parts that have been discontinued at the end of their lifecycle. Our products are sold under our various brand names, under our customers’ private label brands or in bulk. We are one of the leading aftermarket suppliers of parts that were traditionally available to consumers only from original equipment, or OE, manufacturers or salvage yards. These parts include, among other parts, leaf springs, intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, window regulators, radiator fan assemblies, tire pressure monitor sensors, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coolers, UTV windshields, and complex electronics modules. We generate most of our net sales from customers in North America, primarily in the United States. Our products are sold primarily through: aftermarket retailers, including through their online platforms; dealers; national, regional and local warehouse distributors and specialty markets; and salvage yards. In addition, we sell specialty vehicle products through dealers and our online platform. We also distribute products outside the United States, with sales primarily into Canada and Mexico, and to a lesser extent, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. We may experience significant fluctuations from quarter to quarter in our results of operations due to the timing of orders placed by our customers as well as our ability and the ability of our suppliers to deliver products ordered by our customers. The introduction of new products and product lines to customers, as well as business acquisitions, may also cause significant fluctuations from quarter to quarter. Critical Accounting Policies There have been no material changes to the Company’s critical accounting policies as described in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. New Product Development New product development is an important success factor for us and has been a source of growth for us. We have made incremental investments to increase our new product development efforts to grow our business and strengthen our relationships with our customers. The investments primarily have been in the form of increased product development resources, increased customer and end-user awareness programs, and customer service improvements. These investments historically have enabled us to provide an expanding array of new product offerings and grow revenues at levels that generally have exceeded market growth rates. In the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we introduced 2,820 new distinct parts to our customers and end-users, including 1,063 “New-to-the-Aftermarket” parts. We introduced 4,443 new 16 Table of Contents distinct parts to our customers and end-users in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, including 1,565 “New-to-the-Aftermarket” parts. One area of focus has been our complex electronics program, which capitalizes on the growing number of electronic components being utilized on today’s OE platforms. New vehicles contain an average of approximately 50 electronic modules, with some high-end luxury vehicles containing over 100 modules. Our complex electronics products are designed and developed in-house and tested to help ensure consistent performance, and our product portfolio is focused on further developing our leadership position in the category. Another area of focus has been on products we market for the medium- and heavy-duty truck sector of the motor vehicle aftermarket industry. We believe that this sector provides many of the same growth opportunities that the passenger car and light-duty truck sector of the motor vehicle aftermarket industry has provided us. We specialize in offering parts to this sector that were traditionally only available from OE manufacturers or salvage yards, similar to how we approach the passenger car and light-duty truck sector. Acquisitions A key component of our strategy is growth through acquisitions. On October 4, 2022, we acquired Super ATV, LLC ("SuperATV"), a leading independent supplier to the powersports aftermarket with a family of highly respected brands spanning functional accessories and upgrades, as well as replacement parts for specialty vehicles. See Note 2, Acquisitions under Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information. We may acquire businesses in the future to supplement our financial growth, increase our customer base, add to our distribution capabilities or enhance our product development resources, among other reasons. Industry Factors The Company’s financial results are also impacted by various industry factors, including, but not limited to the number, age and condition of vehicles in operation at any one time, and the miles driven by those vehicles. Vehicles in Operation The Company’s products are primarily purchased and installed on a subsegment of the passenger and light-duty vehicles in operation in the United States (“VIO”), specifically weighted towards vehicles aged 8 to 13 years old. Each year, the United States seasonally adjusted annual rate (“US SAAR”) of new vehicles purchased adds a new year to the VIO. According to data from the Auto Care Association (“Auto Care”), the US SAAR experienced a decline from 2008 to 2011 as consumers purchased fewer new vehicles as a result of the Great Recession of 2008. We believe that the declining US SAAR during that period resulted in a follow-on decline in our primary VIO subsegment (8 to 13-year-old vehicles) commencing in 2016. However, following 2011 and the impact of the Great Recession of 2008, U.S. consumers began to increase their purchases of new vehicles which over time caused the US SAAR to recover and return to more historical levels. Consequently, we expect the VIO for vehicles aged 8 to 13 years old to continue to recover. In addition, we believe that vehicle owners generally are operating their current vehicles longer than they did several years ago, performing necessary repairs and maintenance to keep those vehicles well maintained. We believe this trend has supported an increase in VIO, which increased to 293.4 million in 2022, a 1% increase over 2021. According to data published by Polk, a division of IHS Automotive, the average age of VIO increased to 12.4 years as of October 2022 from 12.2 years as of October 2021. 17 Table of Contents Miles Driven The number of miles driven is another important statistic that impacts our business. Generally, as vehicles are driven more miles, the more likely it is that parts will fail and there will be increased demand for replacement parts, including our parts. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the number of miles driven through October 2022 increased 1.5% year over year. We expect this increase in miles driven may continue, given that certain employers have begun to lift work-from-home policies implemented during the pandemic and, consequently, consumers may return to commuting to work on a more regular basis. However, global gasoline prices have remained high, which may negatively impact miles driven as consumers reduce travel or seek alternative methods of transportation. Brand Protection We operate in a highly competitive market. As a result, we are continuously evaluating our approach to brand, pricing and terms to our different customers and channels. For example, we maintain brand protection policies, which are designed to ensure that certain of our branded products are not advertised below certain approved pricing levels. In addition, we may pursue legal remedies when we see third parties violating our intellectual property rights, including those that violate our patents, wrongfully represent our products as their own or use our product images for their own marketing efforts. Discounts, Allowances and Incentives We offer a variety of customer discounts, rebates, defective and slow-moving product returns and other incentives. We may offer cash discounts for paying invoices in accordance with the specified discount terms of the invoice. In addition, we may offer pricing discounts based on volume purchased from us or other pricing discounts related to programs under a customer’s agreement. These incentives can be in the form of “off-invoice” discounts and are immediately deducted from sales at the time of sale. For those customers that choose to receive their incentives on a quarterly or annual basis instead of “off-invoice,” we provide rebates and accrue for such payments as the related sales are made and reduce sales accordingly. Finally, rebates and discounts are provided to customers to support promotional activities such as advertising and sales force allowances. Our customers, particularly our larger retail customers, regularly seek more favorable pricing and product return provisions, and extended payment terms when negotiating with us. We attempt to avoid or minimize these concessions as much as possible, but we have granted pricing concessions, indemnification rights and extended customer payment terms, and allowed a higher level of product returns in certain cases. These concessions impact net sales as well as our profit levels and may require additional capital to finance the business. We expect our customers to continue to exert pressure on our margins. New Customer Acquisition Costs We may incur customer acquisition costs where we incur change-over costs to induce a customer to switch from a competitor’s brand, including expanding new product lines into our existing customers. Change-over costs include the costs related to removing the new customer’s inventory and replacing it with our inventory, which is commonly referred to as a stock lift. New customer acquisition costs are recorded as a reduction to revenue when incurred. Product Warranty and Overstock Returns Many of our products carry a lifetime limited warranty, which generally covers defects in materials or workmanship and failure to meet specifications. In addition to warranty returns, we also 18 Table of Contents may permit our customers to return new, undamaged products to us within customer-specific limits if they have overstocked their inventories. At the time products are sold, we accrue a liability for product warranties and overstock returns as a percentage of sales based upon estimates established using historical information on the nature, frequency and average cost of the claim and the probability of the customer return. Significant judgments and estimates must be made and used in connection with establishing the sales returns and other allowances in any accounting period. Revision to these estimates is made when necessary, based upon changes in these factors. We regularly study trends of such claims. Foreign Currency Many of our products and related raw materials and components are purchased from suppliers in the United States and a variety of non-U.S. countries. The products generally are purchased through purchase orders with the purchase price specified in U.S. dollars. Accordingly, we generally do not have exposure to fluctuations in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and various foreign currencies between the time of execution of the purchase order and payment for the product. To the extent that the U.S. dollar changes in value relative to those foreign currencies in the future, the prices charged by our suppliers for goods under new purchase orders may change in equivalent U.S. dollars. The largest portion of our overseas purchases comes from China. The Chinese yuan to U.S. dollar exchange rate has fluctuated over the past several years. Any future changes in the value of the Chinese yuan relative to the U.S. dollar may result in a change in the cost of goods that we purchase from China. However, the cost of the goods we procure is also affected by other factors including raw material availability, labor cost, and transportation costs. We have subsidiaries located outside the United States with various functional currencies. Because our consolidated financial statements are denominated in U.S. dollars, the assets, liabilities, net sales, and expenses that are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar must be converted into U.S. dollars using exchange rates for the current period. As a result, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates may impact our financial results. Impact of Labor Market and Inflationary Costs We have experienced broad-based inflationary impacts during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 as well as during the year ended December 31, 2022, due primarily to global transportation and logistics constraints, which have resulted in significantly higher transportation costs; tariffs; material costs; and wage inflation from an increasingly competitive labor market. Higher labor costs and material inflation costs may continue to negatively impact our results throughout the remainder of fiscal 2023, despite signs of global supply chain constraints easing. We attempt to offset inflationary pressures with cost-saving initiatives, price increases to customers and the use of alternative suppliers. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in implementing pricing increases in the future to recover increased inflationary costs. Impact of Interest Rates Our business is subject to interest rate risk under the terms of our customer accounts receivable sales programs, as a change in the T erm Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“Term SOFR”) or alternative discount rate affects the cost incurred to factor eligible accounts receivable. Additionally, our outstanding borrowings under our credit facility bear interest at variable rates tied to Term SOFR or the applicable base rate. Under the terms of the credit facility, a change in interest rates affects the rate at which we can borrow funds thereunder and also impacts the interest cost on existing borrowings. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and the year ended December 31, 2022, we saw significant increases in Term SOFR and other reference rates, which impacted our 19 Table of Contents results as discussed in Results of Operations that follows. Interest rates may increase in the future or may be held steady for prolonged periods, resulting in increased costs associated with our accounts receivable sales programs and outstanding borrowings. Impact of Tariffs In the third quarter of 2018, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) began imposing additional tariffs on products imported from China, including many of our products, ranging from 7.5% to 25%. The tariffs enacted to date increase the cost of many of the products that are manufactured for us in China. We have taken several actions to mitigate the impact of the tariffs including, but not limited to, price increases to our customers and cost concessions from our suppliers. We expect to continue mitigating the impact of tariffs primarily through selling price increases to offset the higher tariffs incurred. Tariffs are not expected to have a material impact on our net income but are expected to increase net sales and lower our gross and operating profit margins. In January 2020, the USTR granted temporary tariff relief for certain categories of products being imported from China. The tariff relief granted by the USTR expired on most categories of products being imported from China at the end of 2020. However, in March 2022, the USTR reinstated tariff relief for certain categories of products imported from China. The reinstated tariff relief applies retroactively to October 12, 2021 and is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2023. The reinstated tariff relief applies to a limited number of our products and is not expected to materially impact our operating results. Results of Operations The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the percentage of net sales represented by certain items in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations: Three Months Ended* Nine Months Ended* (in thousands, except percentage data) September 30, 2023 September 24, 2022 September 30, 2023 September 24, 2022 Net sales $ 488,186 100.0 % $ 413,470 100.0 % $ 1,435,492 100.0 % $ 1,232,468 100.0 % Cost of goods sold 304,968 62.5 % 281,559 68.1 % 944,291 65.8 % 825,792 67.0 % Gross profit 183,218 37.5 % 131,911 31.9 % 491,201 34.2 % 406,676 33.0 % Selling, general and administrative expenses 119,010 24.4 % 89,814 21.7 % 353,681 24.6 % 268,400 21.8 % Income from operations 64,208 13.2 % 42,097 10.2 % 137,520 9.6 % 138,276 11.2 % Interest expense, net 12,215 2.5 % 2,344 0.6 % 36,733 2.6 % 5,140 0.4 % Other (income) expense, net (605) -0.1 % 65 0.0 % (1,358) -0.1 % (130) -0.0 % Income before income taxes 52,598 10.8 % 39,688 9.6 % 102,145 7.1 % 133,266 10.8 % Provision for income taxes 12,076 2.5 % 9,087 2.2 % 23,170 1.6 % 29,553 2.4 % Net income $ 40,522 8.3 % $ 30,601 7.4 % $ 78,975 5.5 % $ 103,713 8.4 % * Percentage of sales information may not add due to rounding Three Months Ended September 30, 2023 Compared to Three Months Ended September 24, 2022 Net sales increased 18% to $488.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023 from $413.5 million for the three months ended September 24, 2022. Net sales growth was primarily driven by the addition of SuperATV, price increases to offset inflation and the introduction of new products to the market. Net sales growth for the three months ended September 30, 2023 excluding SuperATV was 6%. 20 Table of Contents Gross profit margin was 37.5% of net sales for the three months ended September 30, 2023 compared to 31.9% of net sales for the three months ended September 24, 2022. The increase in gross margin as a percentage of net sales was primarily due to sales of lower-cost inventory, price increases and the addition of SuperATV, which has a higher gross margin percentage than the Company average. Selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”) were $119.0 million, or 24.4% of net sales, for the three months ended September 30, 2023 compared to $89.8 million, or 21.7% of net sales, for the three months ended September 24, 2022. The increase in SG&A as a percentage of net sales was primarily due to the addition of SuperATV, which has higher SG&A expenses as a percentage of net sales than the Company average, an increase in variable compensation expense and the impact of higher interest rates on our customer accounts receivable factoring programs . Our effective tax rate was 23.0% for the three months ended September 30, 2023 compared to 22.9% for the three months ended September 24, 2022. The effective tax rate was flat, with an increase from state tax expense and the effect of foreign operations offset by discrete benefits. Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 Compared to Nine Months Ended September 24, 2022 Net sales increased 16% to $1,435.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 from $1,232.5 million for the nine months ended September 24, 2022. The increase in net sales reflected the addition of SuperATV in October 2022, the introduction of new products to the market, and price increases to offset inflation. Net sales growth for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 excluding SuperATV was 4%. Gross profit margin was 34.2% of net sales for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 compared to 33.0% of net sales for the nine months ended September 24, 2022. The increase in gross margin as a percentage of net sales was primarily due to the addition of SuperATV, which has a higher gross margin percentage than the Company average, partially offset by the sell-through of high-cost inventory purchased in 2022 that was impacted by inflationary costs. SG&A expenses were $353.7 million, or 24.6% of net sales, for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 compared to $268.4 million, or 21.8% of net sales, for the nine months ended September 24, 2022. The increase in SG&A as a percentage of net sales was primarily due to the impact of higher interest rates on our customer accounts receivable factoring programs and the addition of SuperATV, which has higher SG&A expenses as a percentage of net sales than the Company average. The increase was also impacted by higher amortization of intangible assets, and a charge recorded related to a customer bankruptcy filing, partially offset by a decrease in the nine months ended September 30, 2023 in the fair value estimate of a contingent consideration obligation for a potential earnout payment on a previous acquisition. Our effective tax rate was 22.7% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 compared to 22.2% for the nine months ended September 24, 2022. The increase in the effective tax rate was primarily due to an increase in state tax expense and the effect of foreign operations. Liquidity and Capital Resources Historically, our primary sources of liquidity have been our invested cash and the cash flow we generate from our operations, including accounts receivable sales programs provided by certain customers. Cash and cash equivalents were $32.0 million at September 30, 2023 and $46.0 million at December 31, 2022. Working capital was $662.3 million at September 30, 2023 compared to $590.8 million at December 31, 2022. Shareholders’ equity was $1,128.1 million at September 30, 2023 and $1,042.6 million at December 31, 2022. 21 Table of Contents Based on our current operating plan, we believe that our sources of available capital are adequate to meet our ongoing cash needs for at least the next twelve months. However, our liquidity could be negatively affected by extending payment terms to customers, a decrease in demand for our products, increases in interest rates, the outcome of contingencies or other factors. See Note 7, “Commitments and Contingencies”, in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding commitments and contingencies that may affect our liquidity. Payment Terms and Accounts Receivable Sales Programs Over the past several years, we have continued to extend payment terms to certain customers as a result of customer requests and market demands. These extended terms have resulted in increased accounts receivable levels and significant uses of cash. Where available and when we deem appropriate, we participate in accounts receivable sales programs with several customers that allow us to sell our accounts receivable to financial institutions to offset the negative cash flow impact of these payment term extensions. However, any sales of accounts receivable through these programs ultimately result in us receiving a lesser amount of cash upfront than if we collected those accounts receivable ourselves in due course, resulting in accounts receivable factoring costs. Moreover, to the extent that any of these accounts receivable sales programs bear interest at rates tied to the Term SOFR or other reference rates, increases in these applicable rates increase our cost to sell our receivables and reduce the amount of cash we receive. See ITEM 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk for more information. Further extensions of customer payment terms would result in additional uses of cash or increased costs associated with the sales of accounts receivable. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and September 24, 2022, we sold $713.2 million and $778.1 million of accounts receivable, respectively, under these programs. If receivables had not been sold over the previous twelve months, approximately $866.5 million and $722.3 million of additional accounts receivable would have been outstanding at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, based on our standard payment terms. We had capacity to sell more accounts receivable under these programs if the needs of the business warranted. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and September 24, 2022, factoring costs associated with these accounts receivable sales programs were $37.7 million and $23.0 million, respectively. The increase in factoring costs year over year was driven by higher Term SOFR and other reference rates. Credit Agreement The Company has a credit agreement that provides a $600.0 million revolving credit facility and also includes a $500.0 million term loan with quarterly amortization payment requirements. The credit agreement matures on October 4, 2027. As of September 30, 2023, there was $119.7 million in outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility, and $487.5 million in outstanding borrowings under the term loan. Also on that date, we had three outstanding letters of credit for $1.3 million in aggregate. Net of outstanding borrowings and letters of credit, we had $479.0 million available under the credit facility at September 30, 2023. Our credit agreement contains affirmative and negative covenants. As of September 30, 2023, we were not in default with respect to our credit agreement. Refer to Note 7, “Long-Term Debt” to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements contained in PART II, ITEM 8 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, for additional information. 22 Table of Contents Cash Flows The following summarizes the activities included in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows: Nine Months Ended (in thousands) September 30, 2023 September 24, 2022 Cash provided by operating activities $ 149,110 $ 29,344 Cash used in investing activities (32,869) (23,185) Cash used in financing activities (130,305) (29,410) Effect of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents (17) (96) Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents $ (14,081) $ (23,347) For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, cash provided by operating activities increased $119.8 million over the prior year period, driven by cash inflows for working capital versus cash outflows from working capital in the prior year period, primarily from inventory, as well as higher income. Investing activities used cash of $32.9 million and $23.2 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and September 24, 2022, respectively. The increase in cash used in investing activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 over the prior year period is primarily due to higher additions for property, plant and equipment from the inclusion of SuperATV in the current year period following its acquisition in October 2022. Financing activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 included the repayment of $119.7 million of outstanding borrowings under our revolving credit facility, and $9.4 million of our term loan balance under our credit agreement. During the nine months ended September 24, 2022, we repaid $10.0 million of outstanding borrowing under our revolving credit facility and paid $16.1 million to repurchase 166,050 shares of common stock under our share repurchase plan. The remaining uses of cash from financing activities in each period resulted primarily from the repurchase of our common stock from our 401(k) Plan and income tax withholding in connection with the vesting of restricted stock awards (“RSAs”) and restricted stock units (“RSUs”).