KEY TRONIC CORP 10-Q

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS References in this report to “the Company,” “Key Tronic,” “we,” “our,” or “us” mean Key Tronic Corporation together with its subsidiaries, except where the context otherwise requires. This Quarterly Report contains forward-looking statements in addition to historical information. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to those outlined in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Risks and Uncertainties that May Affect Future Results.” Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s opinions only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect developments or information obtained after the date hereof and disclaims any obligation to do so. Readers should carefully review the risk factors described in this report and other periodic reports the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Overview Key Tronic is a leading contract manufacturer offering value-added design and manufacturing services from its facilities in the United States, Mexico, China, and Vietnam. The Company provides its customers full engineering services, materials management, worldwide manufacturing facilities, assembly services, in-house testing, and worldwide distribution. Its customers include some of the world’s leading original equipment manufacturers. Our combined capabilities and vertical integration are proving to be a desirable offering to our expanded customer base. Our international production capability provides our customers with benefits of improved supply-chain management, reduced inventories, lower transportation costs, and reduced product fulfillment time. We continue to make investments in all of our operating facilities to give us the production capacity, capabilities, and logistical advantages to continue to win new business. The following information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included herein and with Part II Item 1A, Risk Factors included as part of this filing. 20 Our mission is to provide our customers with superior manufacturing and engineering services at the lowest total cost for the highest quality products, and create long-term mutually beneficial business relationships by employing our “Trust, Commitment, Results” philosophy. Executive Summary For the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, the Company reported total revenue of $140.5 million, down 14.6 percent from $164.6 million in the same period of fiscal year 2023 . The decrease in revenue for the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 is partially a result of Key Tronic’s facilities in Mississippi and Arkansas being offline for approximately two weeks due to severe winter weather events. We estimate that this shutdown approximated $5 million in lost net sales. Additionally, the results are also partially due to softer demand from Mexico-based programs as previously reported throughout fiscal year 2024. The Company expects sales to Mexico-based production customers to recover in future quarters due to recently won programs, and total revenue for the nine-months ending March 30, 2024 was $433.7 million, up 1.9% from $425.5 million in the same period of fiscal year 2023. This increase is due to the successful ramp of new customer programs, increased production at the Company’s U.S.-based and Vietnam-based facilities, and the sale of approximately $8.1 million of inventory from a discontinued program, and is constrained by the factors described for the third quarter decrease. As new customer programs ramp, the concentration of our top three customers’ net sales decreased to 28.5 percent of total sales in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 from 34.0 percent in the same period of the prior fiscal year. We expect that concentration to our top three customers will decrease during the fiscal year. Net sales to our largest customers may vary significantly from quarter to quarter depending on the size and timing of customer program commencement, forecasts, delays, and design modifications. We remain dependent on continued net sales to our significant customers and most contracts with customers are not firm long-term purchase commitments. We seek to maintain flexibility in production capacity by employing skilled temporary and short-term labor and by utilizing short-term leases on equipment and manufacturing facilities. In addition, our capacity and core competencies for printed circuit board assemblies, precision molding, sheet metal fabrication, tool making, assembly, and engineering can be applied to a wide variety of products. Gross profit as a percent of net sales was 5.8 percent for the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 as compared to 8.7 percent for the same quarter of the prior fiscal year. Operating income/(loss) as a percentage of net sales similarly decreased over the same period from 3.1 percent to (0.4) percent. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, our resu lts were adversely impacted by incurred severance costs of approximately $3.7 million, the severe winter weather events at the Mississippi and Arkansas facilities, and continued impacts of the strengthening of the Mexican Peso. The net loss for the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 was $2.2 million or $0.21 per diluted share, as compared to net income of $2.0 million or $0.18 per diluted share for the third quarter of fiscal year 2023. The year-over-ye ar decrease in earnings was a result of the factors discussed above, primarily the severance expenses associated with the workforce reduction in Mexico. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, we won new programs involving energy management, consumer audio equipment, medical devices, and communication equipment, among various other programs. Moving into the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024, while we continue to see a favorable trend of contract manufacturing returning to North America, the strength of the Mexican peso and continued increases in Mexican wages, particularly along the US-Mexico border, have reduced the competitive advantage of Mexico-based manufacturing compared to U.S.-based manufacturin g. In response to this sustained trend, the Company is restructuring its Juarez facility to focus on higher volume manufacturing, while lower volume products with higher service level requirements will migrate to our other sites, and the Company will begin to realize payroll expense reductions as a result of the severance charges incurred in the third quarter. Additionally, global logistics problems, the war in Europe, and China-U.S. geopolitical tensions continue to drive OEMs to examine their traditional outsourcing strategies. We believe these customers increasingly realize they have become overly dependent on their China-based contract manufacturers not only for products, but also for design and logistics services. The decision to onshore or near shore production appears to be becoming more widely accepted as a smart long-term strategy. As a result, we see opportunities for continued growth. In addition, the headwinds from the global supply chain continue to present uncertainty and multiple business challenges but do show some signs of gradually abating, particularly with respect to the recent price stabilization for some commodity componen ts. At the same time, these price reductions are offset by increasing wages at our North American facilities. In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024, the Company sees the Mexico Peso weakening relative to the U.S. dollar which may translate into improving conditions moving forward. We maintain a strong balance sheet with a current ratio of 2.8 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98 as of March 30, 2024. Total cash provided by operating activities as defined on our cash flow statement was $6.1 million for the nine months ended March 30, 2024. We believe we maintain sufficient liquidity for our expected future operations and had $112.9 million in borrowings under our asset-based revolving credit facility with $7.1 million remaining available and MXN78.0 million in borrowings under our line of credit facility with MXN22.0 million ($1.3 million USD) remaining available as of March 30, 2024. 21 CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES Preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. These estimates and assumptions are based on historical results as well as future expectations. Actual results could vary from our estimates and assumptions. The accounting policies and estimates listed below are those that we believe are the most critical to our consolidated financial condition and results of operations. They are also the accounting policies that typically require our most difficult, subjective and complex judgments and estimates, often for matters that are inherently uncertain. • Revenue Recognition • Inactive, Obsolete, and Surplus Inventory Valuation • Allowance for Doubtful Accounts • Income Taxes Please refer to the discussion of critical accounting policies in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 1, 2023, for further details. 22 RESULTS OF OPERATIONS Comparison of the Three Months Ended March 30, 2024 with the Three Months Ended April 1, 2023 The financial information and discussion below should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes. The following table sets forth certain information regarding the components of our condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended March 30, 2024 as compared to the three months ended April 1, 2023. It is provided to assist in assessing differences in our overall performance (in thousands): Three Months Ended March 30, 2024 % of net sales April 1, 2023 % of net sales $ change % point change Net sales $ 140,527 100.0 % $ 164,553 100.0 % $ (24,026) — % Cost of sales 132,446 94.2 % 150,277 91.3 % (17,831) 2.9 % Gross profit 8,081 5.8 % 14,276 8.7 % (6,195) (2.9) % Research, development and engineering 2,234 1.6 % 2,580 1.6 % (346) — % Selling, general and administrative 6,422 4.6 % 6,961 4.2 % (539) 0.4 % Gain on insurance proceeds, net of losses — — % (396) (0.2) % 396 0.2 % Total operating expenses 8,656 6.2 % 9,145 5.6 % (489) 0.6 % Operating income (575) (0.4) % 5,131 3.1 % (5,706) (3.5) % Interest expense, net 2,800 2.0 % 2,688 1.6 % 112 0.4 % Income before income taxes (3,375) (2.4) % 2,443 1.5 % (5,818) (3.9) % Income tax provision (benefit) (1,154) (0.8) % 467 0.3 % (1,621) (1.1) % Net (loss) income $ (2,221) (1.6) % $ 1,976 1.2 % $ (4,197) (2.8) % Net Sales Net sales of $140.5 million for the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 decreased by 14.6 percent as compared to net sales of $164.6 million for the third quarter of fiscal year 2023. The $24.0 million decrease in net sales from the prior year period was partially due to constraints from the unanticipated lost production capacity for approximately two weeks at the Company’s Mississippi and Arkansas facilities due to severe winter weather events. We estimate that this shutdown approximated $5 million of lost net sales. Additionally, the results are due to the softening of demand from Mexico based programs which caused decreases in backlog early in fiscal year 2024. Gross Profit Gross profit as a percentage of net sales for the three months ended March 30, 2024 was 5.8 percent compared to 8.7 percent for the three months ended April 1, 2023. These results were adversely impacted by incurred severance costs of approximately $3.7 million, the severe winter weather events at the Mississippi and Arkansas facilities, and continued impacts of the strengthening Mexican Peso. The level of gross margin is additionally impacted by facility utilization, product mix, timing, severity and steepness of new program ramps, pricing within the electronics industry and material costs, which can fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter. Included in gross profit are charges related to reductions in the carrying value of our inventory due to obsolescence. We recorded an impairment of approximately $78,000 and $100,000 for obsolete inventory during the three months ended March 30, 2024 and April 1, 2023, respectively. We adjust the carrying value for estimated obsolescence as necessary in an amount equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and its net realizable value based on assumptions as to future demand and market conditions. The provisions are established for inventory that we have determined customers are not contractually responsible for and for inventory that we believe customers will be unable to purchase. 23 Operating Expenses There were no significant changes to operating expenses during the presented quarters. T otal research, development, and engineering (RD&E) expenses were $2.2 million during the three months ended March 30, 2024 and $2.6 million during the three months ended April 1, 2023, respectively. Total RD&E expenses as a percent of net sales were 1.6 percent during the three months ended March 30, 2024 and 1.6 percent during the three months ended April 1, 2023. Total selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $6.4 million during the three months ended March 30, 2024 compared to $7.0 million for the three months ended April 1, 2023. Total SG&A expenses as a percentage of net sales were 4.6 percent for the three months ended March 30, 2024 and 4.2 percent for the three months ended April 1, 2023. Interest There were no significant changes to interest expenses in the presented quarters. Interest expense was $2.8 million during the three months ended March 30, 2024 and $2.7 million during the three months ended April 1, 2023. Income Taxes The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 30, 2024 was 34.2 percent compared to 19.1 percent for the three months ended April 1, 2023. The increase was primarily due to federal research and development tax credits and permanent book-to-tax differences relative to the respective pretax income (or loss) amounts of each period. The company has departed from the annual effective tax rate method for determining interim income tax expense. The existence of significant permanent book-to-tax differences in several jurisdictions, the impact of the tax holiday in Vietnam, and significant tax benefits related to federal research and development tax credits resulted in an inability to reliably estimate the annual effective tax rate applicable to projected full-year worldwide consolidated pre-tax income. Accordingly, the company determined income tax expense for the quarter ended March 30, 2024, and the nine months ended March 30, 2024, based on actual year-to-date results. For further information on taxes see Note 5 - “Income Taxes” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Our judgments regarding deferred tax assets and liabilities may change due to changes in market conditions, changes in estimates, changes in tax laws or other factors. If assumptions and estimates change in the future the deferred tax assets and liability will be adjusted accordingly and any increase or decrease will result in an additional deferred income tax expense or benefit in subsequent periods. Comparison of the Nine Months Ended March 30, 2024 with the Nine Months Ended April 1, 2023 The financial information and discussion below should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes. The following table sets forth certain information regarding the components of our condensed consolidated statements of operations for the nine months ended March 30, 2024 as compared to the nine months ended April 1, 2023. It is provided to assist in assessing differences in our overall performance (in thousands): Nine Months Ended March 30, 2024 % of net sales April 1, 2023 % of net sales $ change % point change Net sales $ 433,707 100.0 % $ 425,524 100.0 % $ 8,183 — % Cost of sales 403,001 92.9 % 391,950 92.1 % 11,051 0.8 % Gross profit 30,706 7.1 % 33,574 7.9 % (2,868) (0.8) % Research, development and engineering 6,233 1.4 % 7,162 1.7 % (929) (0.3) % Selling, general and administrative 18,263 4.2 % 18,353 4.3 % (90) (0.1) % Gain on insurance proceeds, net of losses (431) (0.1) % (4,040) (0.9) % 3,609 0.8 % Total operating expenses 24,065 5.5 % 21,475 5.1 % 2,590 0.4 % Operating income 6,641 1.5 % 12,099 2.8 % (5,458) (1.3) % Interest expense, net 8,772 2.0 % 7,081 1.7 % 1,691 0.3 % Income (loss) before income taxes (2,131) (0.5) % 5,018 1.2 % (7,149) (1.7) % Income tax provision (1,329) (0.3) % 924 0.2 % (2,253) (0.5) % Net (loss) income $ (802) (0.2) % $ 4,094 1.0 % $ (4,896) (1.2) % 24 Net Sales Net sales of $433.7 million for the nine months ended March 30, 2024 increased by 1.9 percent as compared to net sales of $425.5 million for the nine months ended April 1, 2023. The $8.2 million increase in net sales from the prior year period was primarily due to the successful ramp of new customer programs, increased production at the Company’s U.S.-based and Vietnam-based facilities, and the sale of approximately $8.1 million of inventory from a discontinued program. However, the Company’s revenue was constrained by unanticipated lost production capacity for approximately two weeks at the Company’s Mississippi and Arkansas facilities due to severe winter weather events. Gross Profit Gross profit as a percentage of net sales for the nine months ended March 30, 2024 was 7.1 percent compared to 7.9 percent for the nine months ended April 1, 2023. This 0.8 percent decrease was primarily a result of the severance charges recorded during the third quarter partially offset by gains related to the temporary closure of our Juarez production facility in the second quarter. The level of gross margin is impacted by facility utilization, product mix, timing, severity and steepness of new program ramps, pricing within the electronics industry and material costs, which can fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter. Included in gross profit are charges related to reductions in the carrying value of our inventory due to obsolescence. We recorded an impairment of approximate ly $80,000 a nd $455,000 f or obsolete inventory during the nine months ended March 30, 2024 and April 1, 2023, respectively. We adjust the carrying value for estimated obsolescence as necessary in an amount equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and its net realizable value based on assumptions as to future demand and market conditions. The provisions are established for inventory that we have determined customers are not contractually responsible for and for inventory that we believe customers will be unable to purchase. Operating Expenses Total research, development, and engineering (RD&E) expenses were $6.2 million during the nine months ended March 30, 2024 and $7.2 million during the nine months ended April 1, 2023, respectively. The decrease relates to salary expense during the year. Total RD&E expenses as a percent of net sales were 1.4 percent during the nine months ended March 30, 2024 and 1.7 percent during the nine months ended April 1, 2023. Total selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $18.3 million during the nine months ended March 30, 2024 compared to $18.4 million for the nine months ended April 1, 2023. Total SG&A expenses as a percentage of net sales were 4.2 percent for the nine months ended March 30, 2024 and 4.3 percent for the nine months ended April 1, 2023. Interest Interest expense was $8.8 million during the nine months ended March 30, 2024 and $7.1 million during the nine months ended April 1, 2023. T he increase in interest expense is primarily related to increased interest rates and an increase in the average balance outstanding on our line of credit. Income Taxes The effective tax rate for the nine months ended March 30, 2024 was 62.4 percent compared to 18.4 percent for the nine months ended April 1, 2023. The increase was primarily due to federal research and development tax credits and permanent book-to-tax differences relative to the respective pretax income (or loss) amounts of each period. The company has departed from the annual effective tax rate method for determining interim income tax expense. The existence of significant permanent book-to-tax differences in several jurisdictions, the impact of the tax holiday in Vietnam, and significant tax benefits related to federal research and development tax credits resulted in an inability to reliably estimate the annual effective tax rate applicable to projected full-year worldwide consolidated pre-tax income. Accordingly, the company determined income tax expense for the quarter ended March 30, 2024, and the nine months ended March 30, 2024, based on actual year-to-date results. For further information on taxes see Note 5 - “Income Taxes” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Our judgments regarding deferred tax assets and liabilities may change due to changes in market conditions, changes in estimates, changes in tax law s or other factors. If assumptions and estimates change in the future the deferred tax assets and liability will be adjusted accordingly and any increase or decrease will result in an additional deferred income tax expense or benefit in subsequent periods. BACKLOG 25 On March 30, 2024, we had an order backlog of approximately $275.8 million. This compares with a backlog of approximately $380.6 million on April 1, 2023. The decrease in order backlog is related to some softening on demand for a number of our Mexico-based programs, partially offset by an increase in demand for our U.S. based facilities. Order backlog consists of purchase orders received for products expected to be shipped within the next 12 months, although shipment dates are subject to change due to design modifications or changes in other customer requirements. Order backlog should not be considered an accurate measure of future net sales. CAPITAL RESOURCES AND LIQUIDITY Operating Cash Flow Net cash provided by operating activities for the nine months ended March 30, 2024 was $6.1 million. Net cash used in operating activities was $17.1 million for the nine months ended April 1, 2023. The $6.1 million of net cash provided by operating activities for the nine months ended March 30, 2024 is primarily related to $0.8 million in net loss for the period adjusted for $8.2 million of depreciation and amortization, a $14.9 million decrease in accounts receivable, a $22.7 million decrease in inventory, a $1.3 million decrease in contract assets partially offset by a $1.5 million increase in other assets, a $6.3 million decrease in accrued compensation and vacation, a $33.7 million decrease in accounts payable, and a $0.8 million decrease in other liabilities. The $17.1 million of net cash used in operating activities for the nine months ended April 1, 2023 is primarily related to $4.1 million in net income for the period adjusted for $6.9 million of depreciation and amortization, a $10.7 million increase in accounts payable, a $1.0 million decrease in inventory, a $2.6 million decrease in other assets, partially offset by a 17.0 million decrease in other liabilities, a $1.2 million decrease in accrued compensation and vacation, a $16.1 million increase in accounts receivable, and a $7.9 million increase in contract assets. Accounts receivable fluctuates based on the timing of shipments, terms offered and collections that occurred during the quarter. While overall net sales are not typically seasonal in nature, we ship the majority of our product during the latter half of the quarter. We purchase inventory based on customer forecasts and orders, and when those forecasts and orders change, the amount of inventory may also fluctuate. Accounts payable fluctuates with changes in inventory levels, volume of inventory purchases, negotiated supplier terms and taking advantage of early pay discounts. Investing Cash Flow Cash used in investing activities was $1.0 million during the nine months ended March 30, 2024 as compared to $1.4 million during the nine months ended April 1, 2023. Our primary investing activity during the nine months ended March 30, 2024 and April 1, 2023, was purchasing equipment to support increased production levels for new programs. Leases are often utilized when potential technical obsolescence and funding requirement advantages outweigh the benefits of equipment ownership. Total capital expenditures are expected to be $5 million during the fiscal year, a significant portion of which may be funded through finance leases. Capital expenditures and periodic lease payments are expected to be financed with internally generated funds as well as our revolving line of credit facility and equipment term loans. 26 Financing Cash Flow Cash used in financing activities was $3.4 million during the nine months ended March 30, 2024 as compared to $16.8 million provided by financing activities in the same period of the previous fiscal year. Our primary financing activities during the nine months ended March 30, 2024 and nine months ended April 1, 2023, were borrowings and repayments under our asset-based revolving line of credit facility with Bank of America (the “Loan Agreement”) and term loans. As of March 30, 2024, the Company was not in compliance with the fixed charge coverage ratio under the Loan Agreement. As a result the Company executed a fourth amendment to the Loan Agreement on May 7, 2024, effective as of March 29, 2024, to reduce the minimum requirement for the fixed charge coverage ratio from 1.25:1.00 to 1.00:1.00 as of March 30, 2024, and allow for the add back of severance expenses incurred during the quarter ended March 30, 2024, effectively waiving the Company’s default of the fixed charge coverage ratio for the quarter ended March 30, 2024. The minimum requirement for the fixed charge coverage ratio will increase as follows: 1.05:1.00 on July 27, 2024, 1.15:1.00 on October 26, 2024, 1.20:1.00 on January 25, 2025, and 1.25:1.00 on and after March 29, 2025. In addition, the amendment increased the interest rate by 100 basis points beginning on March 29, 2024, and moved forward the maturity date by one year to September 3, 2025. As of March 30, 2024, approximately $7.1 million was available under the asset-based revolving credit facility and MXN22.0 million was available under our line of credit facility in Mexico. See Note 4 - “Long-Term Debt” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information. Our cash requirements are affected by the level of current operations and new programs. We are in discussions with multiple financial institutions to either extend the borrowing capacity or maturity date on our Loan Agreement or to refinance the Loan Agreement in whole. If we are unable to meet projected operating results or restructure or refinance our Loan Agreement, we may need to delay the purchase of raw materials or require our customers to fund inventory raw material costs ahead of production. The Company further notes projected cash from operations from increased demand from certain customers will be partially offset by an anticipated slowdown in collections from other customers and increasing inventory levels in efforts to mitigate supply chain constraint risks. Other options to increase our liquidity include factoring receivables or leveraging foreign owned assets for additional borrowing capacity. We believe that projected cash from operations, funds available under the Loan Agreement and Banorte line of credit, and leasing capabilities will be sufficient to meet our working and fixed capital requirements for at least the next 12 months. As of March 30, 2024, we had approximately $3.8 million of cash held by foreign subsidiaries. If cash is to be repatriated in the future from these foreign subsidiaries, the Company would be subject to certain withholding taxes in the foreign jurisdictions. The total amount of tax payments required for the amount of foreign subsidiary cash on hand as of March 30, 2024 would approximate $35,000. We have accrued withholding taxes for expected future repatriation of foreign earnings as discussed in Note 5 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.” OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS AND CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS We have included a summary of our Contractual Obligations in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 1, 2023. There have been no material changes in contractual obligations outside the ordinary course of business since July 1, 2023 except for the outstanding balance of the asset-based credit facility has moved from fiscal year 2027 to fiscal year 2026, which was $112.9 million as of March 30, 2024. See Note 4 - “Long-Term Debt” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information. 27 RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT MAY AFFECT FUTURE RESULTS The following risks and uncertainties could affect our actual results and could cause results to differ materially from past results or those contemplated by our forward-looking statements. When used herein, the words “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS AND STRATEGY Our operations may be subject to certain risks. We manufacture product in facilities located in Mexico, China, Vietnam, and the United States. These operations may be subject to a number of risks, including: • difficulties in staffing, turnover, and managing onshore and offshore operations; • political and economic instability (including acts of terrorism, pandemics, civil unrest, forms of violence and outbreaks of war), which could impact our ability to ship, manufacture, and/or receive product; • unexpected changes in regulatory requirements and laws, including those related to climate change; • longer customer payment cycles and difficulty collecting accounts receivable; • cash liquidity, the ability to acquire new debt capacity, and capital constraints; • export duties, import controls and trade barriers (including quotas); • governmental restrictions on the transfer of funds; • burdens of complying with a wide variety of foreign laws and labor practices; subject to trade wars and tariffs; • our locations are subject to physical and operational risks from natural disasters, severe weather events, and climate change; and • our locations may also be impacted by future temporary closures and labor constraints as a result of local mandates for medical, climate, and unforeseen emergencies . Our operations in certain foreign locations receive favorable income tax treatment in the form of tax credits or other incentives. In the event that such tax incentives are not extended, are repealed, or we no longer qualify for such programs, our taxes may increase, which would reduce our net income. Additionally, certain foreign jurisdictions restrict the amount of cash that can be transferred to the U.S. or impose taxes and penalties on such transfers of cash. To the extent we have excess cash in foreign locations that could be used in, or is needed by, our operations in the United States, we may incur significant penalties and/or taxes to repatriate these funds. We may experience fluctuations in quarterly results of operations. Our quarterly operating results have varied in the past and may vary in the future due to a variety of factors, including adverse changes in the U.S. and global macroeconomic environment, volatility in overall demand for our customers’ products, success of customers’ programs, timing of new programs, new product introductions or technological advances by us, our customers and our competitors, and changes in pricing policies by us, our customers, our suppliers, and our competitors. Our customer base is diverse in the markets they serve, however, decreases in demand, particularly from customers in certain industries could affect future quarterly results. Additionally, our customers could be adversely impacted by illiquidity in the credit markets which could directly impact our operating results. Component procurement, production schedules, personnel and other resource requirements are based on estimates of customer requirements. Occasionally, our customers may request accelerated production that can stress resources and reduce operating margins. Conversely, our customers may abruptly lower or cancel production which may lead to a sudden, unexpected increase in inventory or accounts receivable for which we may not be reimbursed even when under contract with customers. In addition, because many of our operating expenses are relatively fixed, a reduction in customer demand can harm our gross profit and operating results. The products which we manufacture for our customers have relatively short product lifecycles. Therefore, our business, operating results and financial condition are dependent in a significant way on our ability to obtain orders from new customers and new product programs from existing customers. 28 Operating results can also fluctuate if changes are made to significant estimates and assumptions. Significant estimates and assumptions include the allowance for doubtful receivables, provision for obsolete and non-saleable inventory, stock-based compensation, the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, impairment of long-lived assets, long-term incentive compensation accrual, the provision for warranty costs, and the impact of hedging activities. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen extreme shifts in demand from our customer base. The possibility of future temporary closures and labor constraints, as well as the inability to predict customer demand, costs, and future supply chain disruptions during the rapidly changing COVID-19 environment can materially impact operating results. We are exposed to general economic conditions, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. Adverse economic conditions and uncertainty in the global economy such as unstable global financial and credit markets, inflation, and recession can negatively impact our business. Unfavorable economic conditions could affect the demand for our customers’ products by triggering a reduction in orders as well as a decline in forecasts which could adversely affect our sales in future periods. Additionally, the financial strength of our customers and suppliers and their ability to obtain and rely on credit financing may affect their ability to fulfill their obligations to us and have an adverse effect on our financial results. Adverse macroeconomic conditions that were a result of COVID-19 have and may continue to affect our business. The conditions affect the Company’s ability to predict and plan for future supply chain disruptions, fluctuations in customer demand and costs, and the ability to operate as there is uncertainty over future temporary closures. Inflation has also risen globally to historically high levels. As the inflation rate continues to increase, the costs of labor and other expenses have and may continue to increase. We may not be able to increase our product prices enough to offset these increased costs. In addition, any increase in our product prices may reduce our future customer orders and profitability. Inflation may further exacerbate other risk factors discussed in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including disruptions to international operations. The majority of our sales come from a small number of customers, and a decline in sales to, or an inability to enforce contracts with, any of these customers could adversely affect our business. At present, our customer base is concentrated and could become more or less concentrated. There can be no assurance that our principal customers will continue to purchase products from us at current levels. Moreover, we typically do not enter into long-term volume purchase contracts with our customers, and our customers have certain rights to extend or delay the shipment of their orders. We, however, typically require that our customers contractually agree to buy back inventory purchased within specified lead times to build their products if not used. The loss of one or more of our principal customers, or the reduction, delay or cancellation of orders from such customers, due to economic conditions or other forces, could materially and adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition. The contraction in demand from certain industries could impact our customer orders and have a negative impact on our operations over the foreseeable future. We rely on timely and regular payments from our customers, and the inability or failure of our principal customers to meet their obligations to us or their bankruptcy, insolvency or liquidation may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Financial difficulties experienced by one or more of our customers, could negatively affect our business by decreasing demand from such customers and through the potential inability of these companies to make full payment on amounts owed to us. Customer bankruptcies also entail the risk of potential recovery by the bankruptcy estate of amounts previously paid to us that are deemed a preference under bankruptcy laws. There can be no assurance that customers will not declare bankruptcy or suffer financial distress, in which case our future revenues, net income and cash flow could be reduced. In addition, we structure our agreements with customers to mitigate our risks related to obsolete, aged, or unsold inventory. However, enforcement of these contracts may result in material expense and delay in payment for inventory. If any of our significant customers become unable or unwilling to purchase such inventory, our business may be materially harmed. We depend on a limited number of suppliers for certain components that are critical to our manufacturing processes. A shortage of these components or an increase in their price could interrupt our operations and result in a significant change in our results of operations. We are dependent on many suppliers, including sole source suppliers, to provide key components and raw materials used in manufacturing customers’ products. We have seen supply shortages in certain electronic components. In addition, our suppliers' facilities may also experience earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters which may cause a shortage of components. This can result in longer lead times and the inability to meet our customers’ requests for flexible production and extended shipment dates. If demand for components outpaces supply, capacity delays could affect future operations. Delays in deliveries from suppliers or the inability to obtain sufficient quantities of components and raw materials have and may continue to cause delays or reductions in shipment of products to our customers which could adversely affect our operating results and damage customer relationships. 29 We operate in a highly competitive industry; if we are not able to compete effectively in the contract manufacturing industry, our business could be adversely affected. Competitors may offer customers lower prices on certain high volume programs. This could result in price reductions, reduced margins and loss of market share, all of which would materially and adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition. If we were unable to provide comparable or better manufacturing services at a lower cost than our competitors, it could cause sales to decline. In addition, competitors can copy our non-proprietary designs and processes after we have invested in development of products for customers, thereby enabling such competitors to offer lower prices on such products due to savings in development costs. Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates have increased, and could continue to increase, our operating costs. We have manufacturing operations located in Mexico and China. A significant portion of our operations are denominated in the Mexican Peso and the Chinese currency, the renminbi ("RMB"). Currency exchange rates fluctuate daily as a result of a number of factors, including changes in a country's political and economic policies. Volatility in the currencies of our entities and the United States dollar, as well as inflationary costs, could seriously harm our business, operating results and financial condition. The primary impact of currency exchange fluctuations is on the cash, receivables, payables and expenses of our operating entities. As part of our hedging strategy, we currently use Mexican Peso forward contracts to hedge foreign currency fluctuations for a portion of our Mexican Peso denominated expenses. We currently do not hedge expenses denominated in RMB and have occasionally also been unable to hedge expenses denominated in Mexican Peso. Unexpected losses have occurred from increases in the value of these currencies relative to the United States dollar and further unexpected losses could occur, which could be material to our business, financial results or operations.. Global economic and political events, including as a result of COVID-19, significant currency exchange fluctuations can occur causing unexpected losses. Future temporary closures of production facilities in Mexico could also cause significant changes in our ability to qualify for hedge accounting treatment of our forward contracts to hedge foreign currency fluctuations. Our success will continue to depend to a significant extent on our key personnel and our ability to execute our management succession plans. Our future success depends in large part on the continued service of our key technical, marketing and management personnel and on our ability to continue to attract and retain qualified production employees. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in attracting and retaining such personnel, particularly in our manufacturing locales that may be experiencing high demand for similar key personnel. The loss of key employees could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. In addition, we must successfully manage transition issues that may result from the departure or retirement of members of our leadership team. For example, our Chief Executive Officer will retire at the end of fiscal year 2024 and will be succeeded by our current Chief Financial Officer. Any significant leadership change or senior management transition involves inherent risks and any failure to ensure a smooth transition could hinder our strategic planning, business execution, and future performance. We cannot provide assurances that any current or future changes of management personnel will not cause disruption to operations or customer relationships or a decline in our operating results Start-up costs and inefficiencies related to new or transferred programs can adversely affect our operating results and such costs may not be recoverable if such new programs or transferred programs are canceled or don’t meet expected sales volumes. Start-up costs, the management of labor and equipment resources in connection with the establishment of new programs and new customer relationships, and the need to obtain required resources in advance can adversely affect our gross margins and operating results. These factors are particularly evident in the ramping stages of new programs. These factors also affect our ability to efficiently use labor and equipment. We are currently managing a number of new programs. Consequently, our exposure to these factors has increased. In addition, if any of these new programs or new customer relationships were terminated, our operating results could be harmed, particularly in the short term. We may not be able to recoup these start-up costs or replace anticipated new program revenues. Customers may change production timing and demand schedules which makes it difficult for us to schedule production and capital expenditures and to maximize the efficiency of our manufacturing capacity. Changes in demand for customer products reduce our ability to accurately estimate the future requirements of our customers. This makes it difficult to schedule production and maximize utilization of our manufacturing capacity. We must determine the levels of business that we will seek and accept from customers, set production schedules, commit to procuring inventory, and allocate personnel and resources, based on our estimates of our customers' requirements. Customers can require sudden increases and decreases in production which can put added stress on resources and reduce margins. Sudden decreases in 30 production can lead to excess inventory on hand which may or may not be reimbursed by our customers even when under contract. Continued growth could further lead to capacity constraints. We may need to transfer production to other facilities, acquire new facilities, or outsource production which could negatively impact gross margin. Compliance or the failure to comply with current and future environmental and health laws or regulations could cause us significant expense. We are subject to a variety of domestic and foreign environmental regulations relating to the use, storage, and disposal of materials used in our manufacturing processes. In addition, increasing governmental focus on climate change may result in new environmental regulations that may negatively affect us, our vendors or our customers. As a result, we may incur additional costs or obligations in complying with any new environmental and reporting requirements, as well as increased indirect costs resulting from our vendors or customers that get passed on to us. If we fail to comply with any present or future regulations, we could be subject to future liabilities or the suspension of current manufacturing operations. In addition, such regulations could restrict our ability to expand our operations or could require us to acquire costly equipment, substitute materials, or incur other significant expenses to comply with government regulations. If our manufacturing processes and services do not comply with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, or if we manufacture products containing design or manufacturing defects, demand for our services may decline and we may be subject to liability claims. We manufacture and design products to our customers’ specifications, and, in some cases, our manufacturing processes and facilities may need to comply with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. For example, medical devices that we manufacture or design, as well as the facilities and manufacturing processes that we use to produce them, are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and non-U.S. counterparts of this agency. In addition, our customers’ products and the manufacturing processes that we use to produce them often are highly complex. As a result, products that we manufacture may at times contain manufacturing or design defects, and our manufacturing processes may be subject to errors or not be in compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. Defects in the products we manufacture or design, whether caused by a design, manufacturing or component failure or error, or deficiencies in our manufacturing processes, may result in delayed shipments to customers or reduced or canceled customer orders. If these defects or deficiencies are significant, our business reputation may also be damaged. The failure of the products that we manufacture or our manufacturing processes and facilities to comply with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements may subject us to legal fines or penalties and, in some cases, require us to shut down or incur considerable expense to correct a manufacturing process or facility. Our customers are required to indemnify us against liability associated with designing products to meet their specifications. However, if our customers are responsible for the defects, they may not, or may not have resources to, assume responsibility for any costs or liabilities arising from these defects, which could expose us to additional liability claims. If we do not manage our growth effectively, our profitability could decline. When our business is experiencing growth, such growth can place considerable additional demands upon our management team and our operational, financial and management information systems. Our ability to manage growth effectively requires us to continue to implement and improve these systems; avoid cost overruns; maintain customer, supplier and other favorable business relationships during possible transition periods; continue to develop the management skills of our managers and supervisors; and continue to train, motivate and manage our employees. Our failure to effectively manage growth could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. Energy price increases may negatively impact our results of operations. Certain components that we use in our manufacturing process are petroleum-based. In addition, we, along with our suppliers and customers, rely on various energy sources in our transportation activities. While significant uncertainty currently exists about the future levels of energy prices, a significant increase, such as the increased fuel prices experienced in fiscal year 2022, is possible. Increased energy prices could cause an increase to our raw material costs and transportation costs. In addition, increased transportation costs related to certain suppliers and customers could be passed along to us. We may not be able to increase our product prices enough to offset these increased costs. In addition, any increase in our product prices may reduce our future customer orders and profitability. TECHNOLOGY RISKS Our operations are subject to cyberattacks that could have a material adverse effect on our business. We are increasingly dependent on digital technologies and services to conduct our operations. We use these technologies for internal purposes, including data storage, processing and transmissions, as well as in our interactions with vendors and 31 customers. Digital technologies and services are subject to the risk of cybersecurity incidents and some incidents can remain undetected for a period of time. We routinely monitor our systems for cyber threats and believe we have sufficient processes in place to detect and remediate vulnerabilities. Nevertheless, we have experienced attempted security breaches, such as phishing emails and other targeted attacks. For example, as previously disclosed in our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 10, 2024, we became aware of unauthorized access to our IT systems (the “Previously Disclosed Cyber Incident”). We expect that our operations will continue to be subject to cyber threats, and any cybersecurity incident could significantly disrupt our operations. Cybersecurity incidents could also result in the misappropriation of proprietary or confidential information of the Company or that of its customers, employees, vendors or customers. We have incurred, and expect continued incurrence of, costs to mitigate against the Previously Disclosed Cyber Incident as our investigation is ongoing and other cybersecurity incidents as threats are expected to continue to become more persistent and sophisticated. If our systems for protecting against cybersecurity incidents, including the Previously Disclosed Cyber Incident, prove not to be sufficient, we could be adversely affected by, among other things, loss of or damage to intellectual property, proprietary or confidential information, or employee, vendor or customer data; interruption of our business operations; and increased costs to prevent, respond to or mitigate cybersecurity incidents. In addition, our investigation of the Previously Disclosed Cyber Incident is ongoing, and we may discover other impacts or new events related to this incident that could affect the Company, including our business operations, financial condition or results of operations. Any of these risks could harm our reputation and our relationships with employees, vendors and customers and may result in claims or enforcement actions and investigations against us. Disruptions to our information systems, including losses of data or outages, could adversely affect our operations. We rely on information technology networks and systems to process, transmit and store electronic information. In particular, we depend on our information technology infrastructure for a variety of functions, including worldwide financial reporting, inventory management, procurement, invoicing and email communications. Any of these systems may be susceptible to outages due to fire, floods, power loss, telecommunications failures, terrorist attacks and similar events. If we or our vendors are unable to prevent such outages, our operations could be disrupted. If we are unable to maintain our technological and manufacturing process expertise, our business could be adversely affected. The markets for our customers’ products are characterized by rapidly changing technology, evolving industry standards, frequent new product introductions and short product life cycles. The introduction of products embodying new technologies or the emergence of new industry standards can render existing products obsolete or unmarketable. Our success will depend upon our customers’ ability to enhance existing products and to develop and introduce, on a timely and cost-effective basis, new products that keep pace with technological developments and emerging industry standards and address evolving and increasingly sophisticated customer requirements. Failure of our customers to do so could substantially harm our customers’ competitive positions. There can be no assurance that our customers will be successful in identifying, developing and marketing products that respond to technological change, emerging industry standards or evolving customer requirements. RISKS RELATED TO CAPITAL AND FINANCING Our ability to secure and maintain sufficient credit arrangements is key to our continued operations. There is no assurance that we will be able to retain or renew our credit agreements in the future on terms acceptable to us, or at all. In addition, we have restrictive covenants with our financial institutions which could impact how we manage our business. We have not always met these covenants in the past and have had to obtain waivers and amend our credit agreements, including for fiscal quarter ended March 30, 2024, to adjust these covenants. The amendment for fiscal quarter ended March 30, 2024 resulted in an increase in interest rates and shortened the maturity date to September 3, 2025. We may not meet these covenants in the future and may not be able to obtain waivers or amendments from the relevant lenders on terms acceptable to us, or at all. In addition, if we cannot meet our financial covenants, our borrowings could become immediately payable which could have a material adverse impact on our financial statements. For a summary of our debt obligations, see Note 4 - “Long-Term Debt” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. In addition, the event our business grows rapidly or there is uncertainty in the macroeconomic climate, additional financing resources could be necessary in the current or future fiscal years. There is no assurance that we will be able to obtain equity or debt financing at acceptable terms, or at all, in the future. Adverse changes in the interest rates for our borrowings could adversely affect our financial condition. We are exposed to interest rate risk under our revolving line of credit and term loans. We have not historically hedged the interest rate on our credit facility; therefore, unless we do so, significant changes in interest rates could adversely affect our results of operations. For a summary of our debt obligations, see Note 4 - “Long-Term Debt” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 32 Cash and cash equivalents are exposed to concentrations of credit risk. We place our cash with high credit quality institutions. At times, such balances may be in excess of the federal depository insurance limit or may be on deposit at institutions which are not covered by insurance. If such institutions were to become insolvent during which time it held our cash and cash equivalents in excess of the insurance limit, it could be necessary to obtain other credit financing to operate our facilities. Our stock price is volatile. Our stock price has and may continue to be subject to wide fluctuations and possible rapid increases or declines over a short time period. These fluctuations may be due to factors specific to us such as our stock's thinly traded nature, variations in quarterly operating results, changes in earnings estimates, or the Audit Committee's internal investigation, or to factors relating to the contract manufacturing industry or to the securities markets in general, which, in recent years, have experienced significant price fluctuations. These fluctuations often have been unrelated to the operating performance of the specific companies whose stocks are traded. In addition, holders of our common stock will suffer immediate dilution to the extent outstanding equity awards are exercised to purchase common stock. RISKS RELATED TO OUR CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES AND THE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION If we fail to maintain proper and effective internal controls, our business and financial condition could be materially adversely impacted. We have previously identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, and undertook remediation efforts to address the identified deficiencies and concluded that the material weakness was remediated as of July 3, 2021. If other deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting are discovered or occur in the future, our consolidated financial statements may contain material misstatements and we could be required to restate our financial results and incur the additional costs and expenses associated therewith. Moreover, because of the inherent limitations of any control system, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis, or at all. As of July 2, 2023, we are a non-accelerated filer under the Exchange Act and are not required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act). Therefore, our internal controls over financial reporting will not receive the level of review provided by the process relating to the auditor attestation included in annual reports of issuers that are subject to the auditor attestation requirements. If we are unable to provide reliable and timely financial reports in the future, our business and reputation may be further harmed. Restated financial statements and failures in internal controls may also cause us to fail to meet additional reporting obligations, negatively affect investor confidence in our management and the accuracy of our financial statements and disclosures, or result in adverse publicity and concerns from investors, any of which could have a negative effect on the price of our common stock, subject us to regulatory investigations and penalties or stockholder litigation, and materially adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Matters relating to or arising from the subject of the Audit Committee’s internal investigation, including expenses and diversion of personnel and resources, regulatory investigations, and proceedings and litigation matters, could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. We have incurred, and may continue to incur, significant expenses related to legal, accounting and other professional services in connection with matters relating to or arising from the subject of the Audit Committee’s internal investigation. We have taken steps in order to remediate identified deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting and attempt to reduce the risk of future recurrence. To the extent these steps were not successful, we may incur significant additional time and expense. In addition, we are cooperating with the SEC regarding matters related to the internal investigation. The completion of the internal investigation did not automatically resolve the SEC’s inquiries. If the SEC or any other regulator were to commence legal action against us, we could be required to pay significant additional legal fees, as well as penalties and become subject to injunctions, cease and desist orders or other remedies. We can provide no assurances as to the outcome of any governmental inquiry or investigation. Further, we, our officers and members of our board of directors could be named as defendants in lawsuits asserting claims arising out of the subject matter of the Audit Committee’s internal investigation. As a result of any legal proceedings and any related indemnification requirements to our officers and directors, we could be required to pay additional legal fees and/or monetary damages that may be in excess of our insurance coverage or may have additional penalties or other remedies imposed against us or our officers and directors. All of these expenses and the diversion of the attention of management and other personnel that has occurred and is expected to continue, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. 33 Due to inherent limitations, there can be no assurance that our system of disclosure and internal controls and procedures will be successful in preventing all errors, theft and fraud, or in informing management of all material information in a timely manner. Management does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting will prevent all errors or fraud. A control system is designed to give reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. In addition, any control system reflects resource constraints and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Inherent limitations of a control system may include: judgments in decision making may be faulty, breakdowns can occur simply because of error or mistake and controls can be circumvented by collusion or management override. Due to the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and may not be detected. LEGAL AND ACCOUNTING RISKS We are involved in various legal proceedings. In the past, we have been notified of claims relating to various matters including contractual matters, intellectual property rights or other issues arising in the ordinary course of business. In the event of such a claim, we may be required to spend a significant amount of money to defend or otherwise address the claim. Any litigation or dispute resolution, even where a claim is without merit, could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources. Accordingly, the resolution or adjudication of such disputes, even those encountered in the ordinary course of business, could have a material effect on our business, consolidated financial conditions and results of operations. Changes in securities laws and regulations will increase our costs and risk of noncompliance. We are subject to additional requirements contained in the U.S. federal securities laws, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act). The Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd-Frank Acts required or will require changes in some of our corporate governance, securities disclosure and compliance practices. The SEC and NASDAQ Global Market have promulgated new rules and additional rulemaking is expected in the future. Compliance with these new rules and future rules has increased and may increase further our legal, financial and accounting costs as well as a potential risk of noncompliance. Absent significant changes in related rules, which we cannot assure, we anticipate some level of increased costs related to these new regulations to continue indefinitely. We also expect these developments to make it more difficult and more expensive to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain coverage. Likewise, these developments may make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our Board of Directors or qualified management personnel. Further, the costs associated with the compliance with and implementation of procedures under these and future laws and related rules could have a material impact on our results of operations. In addition, the costs associated with noncompliance with additional securities laws and regulations could also impact our business. Changes in financial accounting standards may affect our reported financial condition or results of operations as well increase costs related to implementation of new standards and modifications to internal controls. Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting standards generally accepted in the United States, or U.S. GAAP. These principles are subject to amendments made primarily by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the SEC. A change in those policies can have a significant effect on our reported results and may affect our reporting of transactions which are completed before a change is announced. Changes to accounting rules or challenges to our interpretation or application of the rules by regulators may have a material adverse effect on our reported financial results or on the way we conduct business. GENERAL RISKS Our levels of insurance coverage may not be sufficient for potential damages, claims or losses. We have various forms of business and liability insurance which we believe are appropriate based on the needs of companies in our industry. As a result, not all of our potential business risks or potential losses would be covered by our insurance policies. If we sustain a significant claim or loss which is not covered by insurance, our net income could be negatively impacted. 34 We may encounter complications with acquisitions, which could potentially harm our business. Any current or future acquisitions may require additional equity financing, which could be dilutive to our existing shareholders, or additional debt financing, which could potentially affect our credit ratings. Any downgrades in our credit ratings associated with an acquisition could adversely affect our ability to borrow by resulting in more restrictive borrowing terms. To integrate acquired businesses, we must implement our management information systems, operating systems and internal controls, and assimilate and manage the personnel of the acquired operations. The integration of acquired businesses may be further complicated by difficulties managing operations in geographically dispersed locations. The integration of acquired businesses may not be successful and could result in disruption by diverting management’s attention from the core business. In addition, the integration of acquired businesses may require that we incur significant restructuring charges or other increases in our expenses and working capital requirements, which reduce our return on invested capital. Acquisitions may involve numerous other risks and challenges including but not limited to: potential loss of key employees and customers of the acquired companies; the potential for deficiencies in internal controls at acquired companies; lack of experience operating in the geographic market or industry sector of the acquired business; constraints on available liquidity, and exposure to unanticipated liabilities of acquired companies. These and other factors could harm our ability to achieve anticipated levels of profitability at acquired operations or realize other anticipated benefits of an acquisition, and could adversely affect our consolidated business and operating results.