UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
(Mark
One)
☒
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2021
Or
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the transition period from ________________________ to ______________________
Commission
File Number
000-51372
Omega
Flex, Inc.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Pennsylvania
23-1948942
(State or other jurisdiction
of
(I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)
Identification No.)
451 Creamery Way , Exton ,
PA
19341
(Address of principal executive
offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code
610 - 524-7272
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title
of each class
Trading
Symbol
Name
of each exchange on which registered
Common
OFLX
NASDAQ
Global Market
Securities
registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the Act:
Not
applicable
(Title
of class)
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2)
has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule
405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant
was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting
company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” and “accelerated filer”,
“smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (check one):
Large
accelerated filer ☐
Accelerated
filer ☒
Non-accelerated
filer ☐
Smaller
reporting company ☐
Emerging
Growth Company ☐
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act Yes ☐ No ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness
of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C 7262(b)) by the registered
public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report ☒
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
The
aggregate market value of voting and non-voting common shares held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2021, the last
business day of the second quarter of 2021, was $ 451,306,661 .
The
number of shares of common stock outstanding as of March 1, 2022 was 10,094,322 .
DOCUMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The
information required by Part III (Items 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14) is incorporated by reference from the registrant’s definitive proxy
statement (to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A no later than 120 days after the year ended December 31, 2021, or April 30, 2022) for
the 2022 annual meeting of shareholders.
Omega
Flex, Inc.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
PART I
Item
1.
Business
3
Item
1A.
Risk Factors
11
Item
1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments
19
Item
2.
Properties
19
Item
3.
Legal Proceedings
19
Item
4.
Mine Safety Disclosures
19
PART II
Item
5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, and Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
19
Item
6.
Selected Financial Data
21
Item
7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
21
Item
7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risks
26
Item
8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
27
Item
9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosures
52
Item
9A.
Controls and Procedures
52
Item
9B.
Other Information
53
PART III
Item
10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
53
Item
11.
Executive Compensation
53
Item
12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
54
Item
13.
Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions, and Director Independence
54
Item
14.
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
54
PART IV
Item
15.
Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
54
Item
16.
Form 10-K Summary
56
- 2 -
PART
I
Item
1 - BUSINESS
CAUTIONARY
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain
statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not historical facts — but rather reflect our current expectations concerning
future results and events — constitute forward-looking statements. The words “believes,” “expects,” “intends,”
“plans,” “anticipates,” “intend,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,”
“hopes,” “likely,” “will,” and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms, identify such
forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors
that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Omega Flex, Inc., or industry results, to differ materially from
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s view only as of the date
of this annual report statement. We undertake no obligation to update the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements
which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, conditions,
or circumstances.
GENERAL
DESCRIPTION
OF OUR BUSINESS
Overview
of the Company
The
Company’s business is controlled as a single operating segment that consists of the manufacture and sale of flexible metal hose
(also described as corrugated tubing), as well as the sale of the Company’s related proprietary fittings and a vast array of accessories.
The
Company is a leading manufacturer of flexible metal hose, which is used in a variety of ways to carry gases and liquids within their
particular applications. Some of the more prominent uses include:
●
carrying
fuel gases within residential and commercial buildings;
●
carrying
gasoline and diesel gasoline products (both above and below the ground) in a double containment piping to contain any possible leaks,
which is used in automotive and marina refueling, and fueling for back-up generation;
●
using
copper-alloy corrugated piping in medical or health care facilities to carry medical gases (oxygen, nitrogen, vacuum) or pure gases
for pharmaceutical applications; and
●
industrial
applications where the customer requires the piping to have both a degree of flexibility and/or an ability to carry corrosive compounds
or mixtures, or to carry at both very high and very low (cryogenic) temperatures.
The
Company manufactures flexible metal hose at its facilities in Exton, Pennsylvania, and Houston, Texas in the United States (U.S.), and
in Banbury, Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom (U.K.), and primarily sells its products through distributors, wholesalers and to original
equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) throughout North America and Europe, and to a lesser extent other global markets.
- 3 -
Industry
Overview
The
flexible metal hose industry is highly fragmented and diverse, with more than 10 companies producing flexible metal hose in the U.S.,
and at least that many in Europe and Asia. Because of its simple and ubiquitous nature, flexible metal hose can be applied and has been
applied to a number of different applications across a broad range of industries.
The
major market categories for flexible metallic hose include (1) automotive, (2) aerospace, (3) residential, commercial, and institutional
construction, and (4) general industrial. Omega Flex participates in the latter two markets for flexible metallic hose. The residential
and commercial construction markets utilize corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) primarily for flexible gas piping, double containment
piping for conveying diesel fuel and gasoline from a storage tank to a dispenser or back-up generator. The Company utilizes corrugated
copper tubing for medical gases in medical care facilities, including hospitals, clinics, dental and veterinary offices, and long-term
care facilities. The general industrial market includes all of the processing industries, the most important of which include primary
steel, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and specialty applications for the transfer of fluids at both extremely low and high temperatures,
(such as the conveying of cryogenic liquids) and a highly fragmented OEM market, as well as the maintenance and repair market.
None
of our competitors appear to be dominant in more than one market. We are a leading supplier of flexible metal hose in each of the markets
in which we participate. Our assessment of our overall competitive position is based on several factors. The flexible gas piping market
in the U.S. is currently concentrated in the residential housing market. Based on the reports issued by the national trade groups on
housing construction, the level of acceptance of flexible gas piping in the construction market, and the average usage of flexible gas
piping in a residential building, we believe that we are able to estimate with a reasonable level of accuracy the size of the total gas
piping market. In addition, the Company is a member of an industry trade group comprised of the largest manufacturers of CSST in the
U.S., which compiles and distributes sales volume statistics for its members relative to flexible gas piping. Based on our sales and
the statistics described above, the Company believes it can estimate its position within that market. For other applications, industry
trade groups collect and report data related to these markets, and we can then compare and estimate our status within that group as a
whole. In addition, the customer base for the products that we sell, and the identity of the manufacturers aligned with those customers
is fairly well known, which again allows the Company to extract information and estimate its market position. Lastly, the term “leading”
implies a host of factors other than sales volume and market share position. It includes the range and capability of the product line,
history of product development and new product launches, all of which information is in the public domain. Based on all of this information,
the Company is reasonably confident that it is indeed a leader in the major market segments in which it participates.
Development
of Business
Incorporated
in 1975 under the name of Tofle America, Inc., the Company was originally established as the subsidiary of a Japanese manufacturer of
flexible metal hose. For a number of years, the Company was a manufacturer of flexible metal hose that was sold primarily to customers
using the hose for incorporation into finished assemblies for industrial applications. The Company later changed its name to Omega Flex,
Inc., and in 1996, the Company was acquired by Mestek, Inc. (Mestek).
In
January 2005, Mestek announced its intention to distribute its equity ownership in our common stock to the Mestek shareholders. A registration
statement for the Omega Flex common stock was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the registration statement was declared
effective on July 22, 2005. The Company also listed its common stock on the NASDAQ National Market (now the NASDAQ Global Market) under
the stock symbol “OFLX” and began public trading of the common stock on August 1, 2005.
Over
the years, most of the Company’s business has been generated from Omega Flex, Inc., and concentrated in North America, but the
Company also has foreign subsidiaries located in the U.K., which are largely focused on European and other international markets. The
Company also has a local subsidiary which owns the Company’s Exton, Pennsylvania real estate.
- 4 -
Overview
of Current Business
Strategy
The
Company’s strategy has been, and continues to be, focused on its core strengths in the development, manufacture, and sale of flexible
metal hose for use in a variety of applications. The Company is uniquely situated to exploit its capabilities in this area due to its
long experience in engineering and bringing new products to market, and its proprietary rotary process, which permits the Company to
manufacture flexible metal hose with superior quality and efficiency as compared to its competitors. The Company’s strategy is
to develop flexible metal products in new and developing markets that would recognize and compensate for the value-added propositions
that each product brings to that industry. Typically, this would involve a new flexible metal hose that replaces traditional rigid products,
and thereby improve the quality of the installed product, increase installation efficiency, and provide an overall cost and time savings.
Examples of such new products are our flexible gas piping sold under the TracPipe ® CounterStrike ® trademarks,
our new MediTrac ® corrugated medical gas tubing, and our DoubleTrac ® double-containment piping. In each
instance, the products we bring to market offers customers superior quality, expanded applications due to the product’s flexibility,
and reduced total costs. The Company seeks to protect its investments in product development by seeking and obtaining patent protection
for new and unique features of its products.
Sales,
Products and Customers
The
Company’s business is managed as a single operating segment that consists of the manufacture and sale of flexible metal hose, fittings,
and accessories.
We
sell our products to customers scattered across a wide and diverse set of industries ranging from construction to pharmaceutical with
close to 10,100 customers on record. These sales channels include sales through independent sales representatives, distributors, OEM,
direct sales, and sales through our website on the internet. We utilize various distribution companies in the sale of our TracPipe ®
and Counterstrike ® flexible gas piping, and these distribution customers in the aggregate represent a significant
portion of our business. In particular, the Company has one significant customer, whose various branches had sales in the range of 13%
to 14% of total sales during the periods of 2019 to 2021 and was in the range of 7% to 18% of the Company’s accounts receivable
balance over the last two years. All of this business is done on a purchase order basis for immediate resale commitments or stocking,
and there are no long-term purchase commitments. In the event we were to lose an account, we would not expect any long-term reduction
in our sales due to the broad end-user acceptance of our products. We would anticipate that in the event of a loss of any one or more
distributors, that after an initial transition period, the sale of our products would resume at or near their historical levels. Furthermore,
in the case of certain national distribution chains, which is the case regarding the Company’s largest customer noted above, and
other distributors, it is possible that there would continue to be purchasing activity from one or more regional or branch distribution
customers. We sell our products within North America, primarily in the U.S. and Canada, and we also sell our products internationally,
primarily in Europe through our manufacturing facility located in Banbury, U.K. Our sales outside of North America were in the range
of 7% to 11% of our total sales during the last three years, with most of the sales occurring in the U.K. and elsewhere in Europe. We
do not have a material portion of our long-lived assets located outside of the U.S.
As
mentioned previously, we sell our products primarily through independent outside sales organizations, including independent sales representatives,
distributors, fabricating distributors, wholesalers, and OEMs. We have a limited internal sales function that sells our products to key
accounts, including OEMs and distributors of bulk hose. We believe that within each geographic market in which the independent sales
representative, distributor or wholesaler is located that our outside sales organizations are the first or second most successful outside
sales organization for the particular product line within that geographic area.
- 5 -
The
Company has had the most success within the residential construction industry with its flexible gas piping products, TracPipe ® ,
which was introduced in 1997, and its more robust counterpart TracPipe ® CounterStrike ® , which came to market
in 2004. Partnered with the development of our AutoFlare ® and AutoSnap ® patented fittings and accessories,
both have enjoyed wide acceptance due to their reliability and durability. Within the residential construction industry, the flexible
gas piping products that we offer and similar products offered by our competitors have sought to overcome the use of black iron pipe
that has traditionally been used by the construction industry in the U.S. and Canada for the piping of fuel gases within a building.
Prior to the introduction of the first CSST system in 1989, nearly all construction in the U.S. and Canada used traditional black iron
pipe for gas piping. However, the advantages of CSST in areas subject to high incidence and likelihood of seismic events had been first
demonstrated in Japan. In seismic testing, the CSST was shown to withstand the stresses on a piping system created by the shifting and
movement of an earthquake better than rigid pipe. The advantages of CSST over the traditional black iron pipe also include lower overall
installation costs because it can be installed in long uninterrupted lines within the building.
The
flexibility of the tube allows it to be bent by hand without any tools when a change in direction in the line is required. In contrast,
black iron pipe requires that each bend in the pipe have a separate fitting attached. This requires the installer to thread the ends
of the black iron pipe, apply an adhesive to the threads, and then screw on the fitting, all of which is labor intensive and costly,
including testing and rework if the work is not done properly. As a result of these advantages, the Company estimates that CSST now commands
over one-half of the market for fuel gas piping in new and remodeled residential construction in the U.S., and the use of rigid iron
pipe, and to a lesser degree copper tubing, accounts for the remainder of the market. The Company plans to continue its growth trend
by demonstrating its advantages against other technologies, in both the residential and commercial markets, in both the U.S. and overseas
in geographic areas that have access to natural gas distribution systems.
As
previously mentioned, in 2004, the Company introduced a new brand of flexible gas piping sold under the registered trademark “CounterStrike ®” .
CounterStrike ® is designed to be more resistant to damage from transient electrical arcing. This feature is particularly
desirable in areas that are subject to high levels of lightning strikes, such as the Southeast and Ohio Valley sections of the U.S. In
a lightning strike, the electrical energy of the lightning can energize all metal systems and components in a building. This electrical
energy, in attempting to reach ground, may arc between metal systems that have different electrical resistance, and arcing can cause
damage to the metal systems. In standard CSST systems, an electrical bond between the CSST and the building’s grounding electrode
would address this issue, but lightning is an extremely powerful and unpredictable force. CounterStrike ® CSST is designed
to be electrically conductive and therefore disperse the energy of any electrical charge over the entire surface of the CounterStrike ®
line. In 2007, the Company introduced a new version of CounterStrike ® CSST that was tested to be even more resistant
to damage from electrical arcing than the original version, and substantially more effective than standard CSST products. As a result
of its robust performance, the new version of CounterStrike ® has been widely accepted in the market, and thus during 2011,
the Company made the decision to sell exclusively CounterStrike ® within the U.S. This move demonstrated the Company’s
commitment to innovation and safety, and further enhanced our leadership in the marketplace.
In
2008, the Company introduced its first double containment piping product – DoubleTrac ® . DoubleTrac ®
double containment piping has earned stringent industry certifications for its ability to safely contain and convey liquid fuels. DoubleTrac ®
received certification from Underwriters Laboratory, the testing and approval agency, that our product is fully compliant with
UL971A, which is the product standard in the U.S. for metallic underground fuel piping, ULc S679 which is the product standard in Canada
for metallic underground fuel piping, as well as approvals from other relevant state agencies that have more stringent testing procedures
for the product. Additionally, DoubleTrac® is fully complaint to UL 1369, which is the bi-national USA and Canada standard for aboveground
piping for flammable and combustible liquids. DoubleTrac® is one of a select few piping systems having listings and approvals for
both belowground and aboveground piping systems. Similar to our flexible gas piping, DoubleTrac ® provides advantages over
older rigid pipe technologies. DoubleTrac ® is made and can be installed in long continuous runs, eliminating the need
for manually assembling rigid pipe junctions at the end of a pipe or at a turn in direction. In addition, DoubleTrac ®
has superior performance in terms of its ability to safely convey fuel from the storage tank to the dispenser, primarily because DoubleTrac ®
is essentially a zero permeation piping system, far exceeding the most stringent government regulations. Originally designed for
applications involving automotive fueling stations running from the storage tank to the fuel dispenser, the ability of DoubleTrac ®
to handle a variety of installation challenges has broadened its applications to include refueling at marinas, fuel lines for back-up
generators, and corrosive liquids at waste treatment plants. In short, in applications where double containment piping is required to
handle potentially contaminating fluids or corrosive fluids, DoubleTrac ® is engineered to handle those demanding applications.
- 6 -
DEF-Trac ® ,
a complementary product which is very similar to DoubleTrac ® , was brought to the marketplace in 2011. DEF-Trac ®
piping is specifically engineered to handle the demanding requirements for diesel emissions fluid (DEF). Federal regulations require
all diesel engines to use DEF to reduce the particulate contaminants from the diesel combustion process. However, DEF is highly corrosive
and cannot be pre-mixed with the diesel fuel. This requires that new diesel trucks and automobiles must have separate tanks built into
the vehicle so that the diesel emissions fluid can be injected into the catalytic converter after the point of combustion. Similarly,
a large portion of fueling stations carrying diesel fuel are now also selling DEF through a separate dispenser. In addition to being
highly corrosive, DEF also has a high freezing temperature, requiring a heat trace in the piping in applications in northern areas of
the U.S. DEF-Trac ® flexible piping is uniquely suited to handle all of these challenges, as the stainless steel inner
core is corrosion resistant, and DEF-Trac ® also comes with options for heat trace that is extruded directly into the wall
of the product. In summary, DEF-Trac ® provides a complete solution to the demanding requirements of this unique application,
as such, DEF-Trac ® has been met with enormous acceptance from the industry that was searching for a solution to the new
environmental requirement. The advantageous market position of DEF-Trac ® has leveraged the penetration of DoubleTrac ®
into the broader market for automotive fueling applications.
In
September 2013, the Company announced that it would be releasing a newly developed fitting, AutoSnap ® , as part of its
flexible gas piping product line. After successfully completing all required testing by independent testing agencies, as well as extensive
field trials across the U.S. by trained TracPipe ® CounterStrike ® installers, AutoSnap ® was
officially introduced to the market in January 2014 to wide acceptance. With its patent-pending design, the product simplified the installation
process, and addressed installer preferences for both speed and ease of installation. The AutoSnap ® fitting now commands
a significant portion of the Company’s fittings demand.
In
2019, the Company commercialized MediTrac ® , corrugated medical tubing (“CMT”), following its 2018 launch with
several beta sites. Developed for the healthcare industry, the product can be used in hospitals, ambulatory care centers, dental, physician
and veterinary clinics, laboratories, and any facility that uses medical gases (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.). Made from a
copper alloy with an exterior fire-retardant jacket, MediTrac ® is made and sold in long continuous-length rolls. MediTrac’s
flexible nature and storage in rolls allows it to be transported to and installed in health care facilities much more easily and quickly
than traditional medical grade rigid copper pipe, which comes in 20 foot long sections. MediTrac ® is unrolled from a spool
and installed in a medical facility in one long continuous length and is bent by hand when a change in direction is needed. The long
lengths and ability to change direction with ease eliminates labor that would otherwise be needed to braze connections to straight sections
of copper pipe or elbows or tees for changes in direction, while increasing installation efficiency and operational safety and minimizing
downtime for healthcare facilities. Easy to assemble axial swaged brass fittings connect with all K, L and DWV medical tubing that is
sized from ½” to 2” in diameter and provides a leak-tight seal using ordinary hand tools. The patent-pending fitting
also prevents tampering or disassembly through the use of a tamper-proof sleeve that is required by the Health Care Facilities Code (NFPA
99 – 2018 edition). Rated for 185 psig, MediTrac ® can deliver the necessary volume of gas wherever it is needed
across a facility. A recent case study comparing the installation of rigid copper pipe and MediTrac ® showed that MediTrac ®
increases installation efficiency by a factor of five (i.e., a 500% increase in efficiency). By reducing the number of joints and
brazed connections, MediTrac ® also reduces possible contamination into the medical gas system along with the fire risk
associated with brazing. MediTrac ® is currently listed to UL 1365 and has an ASTM E84 rating of 25/50 and meets all 2018
requirements of the Health Care Facilities Code (NFPA 99 – 2018).
In
2020, the MediTrac ® product line experienced significant growth in use and acceptance in the marketplace resulting from
its ability to be quickly and safely installed to meet the unprecedented crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous medical institutions
and emergency medical centers used MediTrac ® CMT to quickly install medical gas lines in tent hospitals or in converted
facilities to handle the surging demand. For example, MediTrac ® medical gas piping was installed in a NYC temporary hospital
located in Central Park and in the Cleveland Clinic for patients with COVID-19 infections and in need of supplemental oxygen treatments.
On September 25, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a waiver allowing the use of CMT in new and existing
healthcare facilities based on the provisions in NFPA 99 – 2018, allowing MediTrac ® to be installed in all facilities
in the U.S.
- 7 -
In
addition to the flexible gas piping and other previously described markets, our flexible metal hose is used in a wide variety of other
applications. Our involvement in these markets is important because just as the flexible gas piping applications have sprung from our
expertise in manufacturing metal hose, other applications may also evolve from our participation in the industry. Flexible metal hose
is used in a wide variety of industrial and processing applications where the characteristics of the flexible hose in terms of its flexibility,
and its ability to absorb vibration and thermal expansion and contraction, have substantial benefits over rigid piping. For example,
in certain pharmaceutical processing applications, the process of developing the specific pharmaceutical may require rapid freezing of
various compounds through the use of liquefied gases, such as liquefied nitrogen, helium or Freon. The use of flexible metal tubing is
particularly appropriate in these types of applications. Flexible metal hose can accommodate the thermal expansion caused by the liquefied
gases carried through the hose, and the total length of the hose will not significantly vary. In contrast, fixed or rigid metal pipe
would expand and contract along its length as the liquid gases passed through it, causing stresses on the pipe junctions that would over
time cause fatigue and failure. Alternatively, within certain industrial or commercial applications using steam, either as a heat source
or in the industrial process itself, the pumps used to transfer the liquid or steam within the system are subject to varying degrees
of vibration. Additionally, flexible metal hoses can also be used as connections between the pump and the intake of the fluids being
transferred to eliminate the vibration effects of the pumps on the piping transfer system. All of these areas provide opportunities for
the flexible metal hose arena, and thus the Company continues to participate in these markets, as it seeks new innovative solutions which
will generate additional revenue streams for the future.
In
each instance, whether the application is for CSST for fuel gases, flexible metal hose for handling specialty chemicals or gases, flexible
double containment piping, unique industrial applications requiring the ability to withstand wide variations in temperature and vibration,
or copper alloyed CMT for medical facilities, all of our success rests on our metal hose. Most of our flexible metal hoses range in diameter
from 1/4” to 2” while certain applications require diameters of up to 16”. All of our smaller diameter pipe (2”
inner diameter and smaller) is made by a proprietary process that is known as the rotary process. The proprietary process that we use
to manufacture our annular hose is the result of a long-term development effort begun in 1995. Through continuous improvement over the
years, we have developed and fine-tuned the process so that we can manufacture annular flexible metal hose on a high speed, continuous
process. We believe that our own rotary process for manufacturing annular corrugated metal hose is the most cost efficient method in
the industry, and that our rotary process provides us with a significant advantage in many of the industries in which we participate.
As a result, we are able to provide our product on a demand basis. Over the years, the Company has had great success in achieving on-time
delivery performance to the scheduled ship date. The quick inventory turnover reduces our costs for in-process inventory, and further
contributes to our gross profit levels. We have also improved our productivity on a historical basis.
Markets
and Competition
There
are approximately 10 manufacturers of flexible metal hose in the U.S., and approximately that number in Europe and Asia. The U.S. manufacturers
include Titeflex Corporation, Ward Manufacturing, Microflex, Hose Master, Pennflex, and several smaller privately held companies. No
one manufacturer, as a general rule, participates in more than two of the major market categories, automotive, aerospace, residential
and commercial construction, and general industrial, with most concentrating in just one. We estimate that we are at or near the top
position of the two major categories in which we participate in regards to market share. In the flexible gas piping market, the U.S.
market is currently concentrated in the residential housing market. Based on the reports issued by the national trade groups on housing
construction, the level of acceptance of flexible gas piping in the construction market, and the average usage of flexible gas piping
in a residential building, as well as through our sales position within that market, we are able to estimate with a high level of accuracy
the size of the total gas piping market. In addition, the Company is a member of an industry trade group, which compiles and distributes
sales statistics for its members relative to flexible gas piping. For other applications, industry trade groups collect and report on
the size of the relevant market, and we can estimate our percentage of the relevant market based on our sales as compared to the market
as a whole. The larger of our two markets, the construction industry, has seen a modest increase in the number of residential housing
starts in 2021, as compared to the previous year. As discussed elsewhere, black iron pipe or copper tubing was historically used by all
builders of commercial and residential buildings until the advent of flexible gas piping and changes in the relevant building codes.
Since that time, flexible gas piping has taken an increasing share of the total amount of fuel gas piping used in construction.
- 8 -
Due
to the number of applications in which flexible metal hose may be used, and the number of companies engaged in the manufacture and sale
of flexible metal hose, the general industrial market is very fragmented, and we estimate that no one company has a predominant market
share of the business over other competitors. In the market for double containment piping, we compete primarily against rigid pipe systems
that are more costly to install than DoubleTrac ® double containment piping. For medical tubing applications, the main
competitor is medical grade (Type K or Type L) rigid copper pipe. MediTrac ® is the only corrugated medical tubing in the
U.S. that is approved to the stringent requirements of UL 1365. The general industrial markets within Europe are very mature and tend
to offer opportunities that are interesting to us in niche markets or during periods in which a weak dollar increases the demand for
our products on a competitive basis. Such has been the case for several years and has created new relationships for us. Currently, we
are not heavily engaged in the manufacture of flexible metal hose for the aerospace or automotive markets, but we continue to review
opportunities in all markets for our products to determine appropriate applications that will provide growth potential and high margins.
In some cases, where the product offering is considered a commodity, price is the overriding competing factor. In other cases, a proprietary
product offering or superior performance will be the major factors with pricing being secondary, and in some cases, a non-factor. The
majority of our sales are to distributors and wholesalers, and our relationships with these customers are on an arms-length basis in
that neither we, nor the customers are so dependent on the other to yield any significant business advantage. From our perspective, we
are able to maintain a steady demand for our products due to broad acceptance of our products by end users, regardless of which distributor
or wholesaler sells the product.
Resources
and Raw Materials
We
use various materials in the manufacture of our products, primarily stainless steel for our flexible metal hose and plastics for our
jacketing material on TracPipe ® CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping and DoubleTrac ® double
containment piping, as well as a copper alloy for our MediTrac ® CMT. We also purchase all of our proprietary fittings
for use with the TracPipe ® and CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping, DoubleTrac ® double containment
piping, and MediTrac ® CMT. Although we have multiple sources qualified for all of our major raw materials and components,
we have historically used only one or two sources of supply for such raw materials and components. Our current orders for stainless steel
and fittings are each placed with one or two suppliers. If any one of these sources of supply were interrupted for any reason, then we
would have to devote additional time and expense in obtaining the same volume of supply from our other qualified sources. This potential
transition, if it were to occur, could affect our operations and financial results during the period of such transition. During 2021,
the commodity prices of nickel and copper were higher compared to last year. Nickel is a prime material in stainless steel which the
Company utilizes to manufacture CSST, and copper is a key component of the Company’s brass fittings and our MediTrac ®
CMT. Fortunately, the Company was able to maintain reasonably stable margins during 2021. This was mainly accomplished by implementing
our own pricing actions to help offset the upward movements in the respective material markets. We believe that with our purchase commitments
for stainless steel, polyethylene and for our proprietary fittings, we have adequate sources of supply for these raw materials and components.
Like most other manufacturers, we had sporadic supply chain issues in 2021, but we believe our multiple suppliers have sufficient raw
materials and capacity minimizing any potential disruption. We believe that the supply sufficiency of stainless steel will continue until
there is a reduction in global capacity, such as mine closures, which would then cause a constriction. Volatility in the commodities
marketplace and competitive conditions in the sale of our products could potentially restrict us from passing along raw materials or
component part price increases to our customers.
Business
Seasonality
The
demand for our flexible piping products that are related to construction activity including TracPipe ® , Counterstrike ® ,
DoubleTrac ® and MediTrac ® , may be affected by the construction industry’s demand, which generally
tightens during the winter months of each year due to cold and inclement weather. Accordingly, sales are usually higher in the spring,
summer, and fall.
- 9 -
Government
Regulations including Environmental Regulations
The
Company believes that its businesses and operations, including its manufacturing plants and equipment, are in substantial compliance
with all applicable government laws and regulations, including those related to environmental, consumer protection, international trade,
labor and employment, human rights, tax, anti-bribery, and competition matters. Any additional measures to maintain compliance are not
expected to materially affect the Company’s capital expenditures (including expenditures for environmental control facilities),
competitive position, financial position, or results of operations.
Various
legislative and administrative regulations applicable to the Company in the matters noted above have become effective or are under consideration
in many parts of the world. To date, such developments have not had a substantial adverse impact on the Company. However, if new or amended
laws or regulations impose significant operational restrictions and compliance requirements upon the Company or its products, the Company’s
business, capital expenditures, results of operations, financial condition and competitive position could be negatively impacted. Refer
to Item 1A. Risk Factors for further information.
Human
Capital
We
believe that our employees are the foundation of the innovative ideas necessary for the advancement of our products, and success of our
Company. Our employees are the conduits to successful relationships with our customers, vendors, and various business partners, as well
as the custodians of a safe and efficient operation of our assets ending with a highly satisfied customer. The Company fosters a collaborative,
inclusive, and safety-minded work environment, with a focus on ingenuity. We seek to identify the most highly qualified talent for our
organization, enabling us to execute on our strategic objectives of providing the most innovative and technologically advanced flexible
metal hose products in the market. To attract and retain employees, the Company offers competitive wages across all levels, and maintains
a superior package of employee benefits, including medical insurance, life insurance, and retirement and savings programs, for all employees,
as well as executive compensation plans as described in our proxy statement.
As
of December 31, 2021, the Company had 170 employees. Most of our employees are located in our manufacturing facilities in Exton, Pennsylvania,
which contain our factory personnel, engineering, finance, human resources and most of our sales staff. Our factory workforce in Exton,
Pennsylvania, is not party to a collective bargaining agreement. A small number of employees work at our facility in Houston, Texas.
We also maintain an office in Middletown, Connecticut where certain management, sales and administrative personnel are assigned. A number
of individual sales personnel are also scattered across the U.S. We also maintain a manufacturing facility in Banbury, U.K., which contains
employees of similar functions to those in the U.S., but on a much smaller scale, including a small presence in France. The sales personnel
in England and France handle all sales and service for our products in Europe, most notably the U.K., and the majority of our transactions
with other international territories.
We
are committed to fostering a work environment in which all employees treat each other with dignity and respect. This commitment extends
to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities based on merit and experience. We continually strive to attract a diverse
workforce by partnering with local organizations to identify potential candidates to advance and strengthen our human capital management
program.
Intellectual
Property
We
have a comprehensive portfolio of intellectual property, including approximately 247 patents issued in various countries around the world.
The patents cover (a) the fittings used by the flexible gas piping to join the piping to a junction or assembly, (b) pre-sleeved CSST
for use in underground applications, (c) an electrically conductive jacket for flexible gas piping that we sell under the trademark CounterStrike ® ,
(d) a tubing containment system for our DoubleTrac ® double containment piping, and (e) fittings for use with our MediTrac®
corrugated medical tubing. Our AutoSnap ® fitting is a prominently used product with flexible gas piping because it offers
a metal-to-metal seal between the fitting and the tubing, and because of its robustness and ease of use. The metal-to-metal contact provides
for a longer lasting and more reliable seal than fittings which use gaskets or sealing compounds that can deteriorate over time. In applications
involving fuel gases in a building, the ability to maintain the seal and prevent the leaking of such gases over long periods of time
is valued by our customers. In addition, the AutoSnap ® fitting provides the installer with greater ease of use by preassembling
all the securing elements inside the body of the fitting. We also have received a patent for the composition of the polyethylene jacket
used in our CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping product, which has increased ability to dissipate electrical energy in
the event of a nearby lightning strike. The tubing containment system of our DoubleTrac ® double containment piping, which
is also patented in the U.S. and in other countries, allows for the monitoring and collection of any liquids that may leak from the stainless
steel containment layer. We have filed patent applications for the MediTrac ® fittings to cover the unique requirements
in the U.S. for fittings that permanently affix the fitting to the CMT system, and provides a tamper-proof connection to the CMT system.
The expiration dates for the several patents covering the Counterstrike ® patent will expire in 2025. We currently have
several patent applications pending in the U.S. and internationally covering improvements to our AutoFlare ® fittings and
our CounterStrike ® polyethylene jacket, and also have a patent pending on our MediTrac ® fitting. Finally,
and as mentioned above, our unique rotary process for manufacturing flexible metal hose has been developed over a number of years and
constitutes a valuable trade secret.
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Internet
Website
You
may learn more about our Company by visiting our website at www.omegaflexcorp.com. Among other things, you can access our filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, which maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains the Company’s various reports,
proxy, and information statements. These filings include proxy statements, annual reports (Form 10-K), quarterly reports (Form 10-Q),
and current reports (Form 8-K), as well as Section 16 reports filed by our officers and directors (Forms 3, 4 and 5). All of these reports
will be available on the website as soon as reasonably practicable after we file the reports with the SEC. In addition, we have made
available on our website under the heading “Compliance” the charters for the Audit, Compensation and Nominating/Governance
Committees of our Board of Directors and our Code of Business Ethics. We intend to make available on our website any future amendments
or waivers to our Code of Business Ethics. The information on our website is not part of this report.
Item
1A – RISK FACTORS
You
should carefully consider the following risk factors and all the other information contained in this annual report and our other filings
in evaluating our business and investment in our common stock. We have not disclosed general risk factors that may be applicable to any
for-profit organization, such as general economic conditions, interest rates, labor supply and technological changes. Investors are cautioned
to take into consideration the specific risk factors we have disclosed below and general risk factors before making an investment decision.
Risk
Relating to Our Business – Sales and Competition
We
are primarily dependent on one product line for most of our sales.
Most
of the Company’s sales are derived from the sale of TracPipe ® and CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping
systems, including Autoflare ® and AutoSnap ® fittings and a variety of accessories. Sales of our flexible
metal hose for other applications represent a small portion of our overall sales and income. Any event or circumstance that adversely
affects our TracPipe ® or CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping could have a greater impact on our business
and financial results than if our business were more evenly distributed across several different product lines. The effects of such an
adverse event or circumstance would be magnified in terms of our Company as a whole as compared to one or more competitors whose product
lines may be more diversified, or who are not as reliant on the sales generated by their respective flexible gas piping products. Therefore,
risks relating to our TracPipe ® and CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping business – in particular loss
of distributors or sales channels, technological changes, loss of our key personnel involved in the flexible gas piping product line,
increases in commodity prices, particularly in stainless steel and polyethylene – could damage our business, competitive position,
results of operations or financial condition.
- 11 -
We
face intense competition in all of our markets.
The
markets for flexible metal hose are intensely competitive. There are a number of competitors in all markets in which we operate, and
generally none of these markets have one dominant competitor – rather a large number of competitors exist, each having a proportion
of the total market. One or more of our competitors may develop technologies and products that are more effective, or which may cost
less than our current or future products, or could potentially render our products noncompetitive or obsolete. Our prior success has
been due to our ability to develop new products and product improvements, and establish and maintain an effective distribution network
which to some extent came at the expense of several competing manufacturers. Our business, competitive position, results of operations
or financial condition could be negatively impacted if we are unable to maintain and develop our competitive products.
We
may not retain our independent sales organizations.
Almost
all of the Company’s products and product lines are sold by outside sales organizations. These independent sales organizations
or sales representatives are geographically dispersed in certain territorial markets across the U.S., Canada and elsewhere. These outside
sales organizations are independent of us and are typically owned by the individual principals of such firms. We enter into agreements
with such outside sales organizations for the exclusive representation or distribution of our products, but such agreements are generally
for terms of one year or less. At the expiration of the agreement, the agent or distributor may elect to represent a different manufacturer.
As a result, we have no ability to control which flexible metal hose manufacturer any such sales organization may represent or carry.
The competition to retain quality outside sales organizations is also intense between manufacturers of flexible metal hose since it is
these sales organizations that generally can direct the sales volume to distributors and, ultimately, contractors and installers in important
markets across the country, and in other countries in which we operate. The failure to obtain the best outside sales organization within
a particular geographic market can limit our ability to generate sales of our products. While we currently have a fully developed sales
and distribution network of superior outside sales organizations, there can be no assurance that any one or more of the outside sales
organizations will elect to remain with us, or that our competitors will not be able to disrupt our distribution network by causing one
or more of our sales representatives to drop our product lines. Our business, competitive position, results of operation or financial
condition could be negatively impacted if we cannot maintain adequate sales and distribution networks.
We
are dependent on certain sales channels for a significant portion of our business.
Of
the various sales channels that we use to sell our products, a significant portion of such sales are made through our wholesale stocking
distributors. These and other distributors purchase our products, and stock the goods in warehouses for resale, either to their own local
branches or to end-users. Because of the breadth and penetration of the distribution networks, and the range of complementary products
they offer for sale, these wholesale distributors are able to sell large amounts of our products to end users across the U.S. and Canada.
The decision by a major wholesaler distributor to stop distributing our products such as TracPipe ® and CounterStrike ®
flexible gas piping, and to distribute a competitive flexible gas piping product, could significantly affect our business, competitive
position, results of operations or financial condition.
Certain
of our competitors may have greater resources, or they may acquire greater resources.
Some
of our competitors have substantially more resources than are available to us as a stand-alone company. For example, in the CSST market,
two of our competitors are divisions of large corporations with revenues measured in the billions of dollars. These competitors may be
able to devote substantially greater resources to the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of their products than would be
available to us as a stand-alone company. One or more competitors may acquire several other competitors, or may be acquired by a larger
entity, and through a combination of resources be able to devote additional resources to their businesses. These additional resources
could be devoted to product development, reduced costs in an effort to obtain market share, greater flexibility in terms of profit margin
as part of a larger business organization, increased investment in plant, machinery, distribution and sales concessions. As a stand-alone
company, the resources that may be devoted by us to meet any potential developments by larger, well-financed competitors may be limited.
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Our
business may be subject to the impact of Brexit.
The
Company’s main operating subsidiary, Omega Flex Limited, is headquartered in Banbury, England in the U.K. The result of the referendum
held by the U.K. to withdraw from the European Union (“Brexit”) had created a level of uncertainty regarding the final terms
of that withdrawal for a number of years, until an agreement was reached on December 24, 2020, by the U.K. and the European Union. While
an agreement was reached, uncertainty still exists, and adherence to the new rules regarding border and customs controls could increase
costs on materials imported into the U.K. and finished goods exported from the U.K. In addition, it is possible that logistical delays
created by those controls could delay shipments of materials and supplies into the Banbury manufacturing plant and could also affect
our ability to ship goods to customers outside of the U.K., into the European Union, Africa, and the Near East. Most of the business
of Omega Flex Limited is domestic and should therefore not be unduly disrupted. However, the macroeconomic effects of Brexit on the economies
of the U.K. and the European Union remain partially unknown, and those effects could dampen economic activity and the overall demand
for the Company’s products in those markets. However, it is not expected that increased costs, logistical delays, nor possible
economic declines in those markets would be material to the Company.
Our
business may be subject to macroeconomic effects caused by increased trade tariffs and reduced international trade.
Recent
events have caused various governments around the world to impose increased trade tariffs on imported goods. These increased tariffs
may cause the cost of materials to rise and may add additional expense on exported goods. However, the Company does not believe that
increased tariffs will materially affect the Company’s sales or gross profits, as most of the raw materials and supplies used to
manufacture our products are sourced domestically in the U.S. Further, exports of our flexible gas piping products from our Exton, Pennsylvania
facility are primarily to Canada, which recently agreed to a revised North American trade treaty, and to a lesser extent to the Caribbean
and South America. Sales to Europe, Asia and Africa are primarily handled from our Banbury, England facility, which are not affected
by U.S. trade tariffs and retaliatory tariffs but may be subject to other constraints as discussed in the Brexit risk factor,
above.
Our
international sales subject us to additional risks that can adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition.
During
2021, we derived 7% of our revenue from sales to customers located outside the U.S. Our ability to convince customers to expand their
use of our products or renew their agreements with us are directly correlated to our direct engagement with such customers. To the extent
that we are unable to engage with non-U.S. customers effectively, we may be unable to grow sales to international customers to the same
degree we have experienced in the past.
Our
international operations subject it to a variety of risks and challenges, including:
●
general
economic or geopolitical conditions in each country or region;
●
the
effects of a widespread outbreak of an illness or disease, or any other public health crisis, including the COVID-19 pandemic, in
each country or region;
●
economic
uncertainty around the world; and
●
compliance
with U.S. laws and regulations imposed by other countries on foreign operations, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the
U.K. Bribery Act, import and export control laws, tariffs, trade barriers, economic sanctions and other regulatory or contractual
limitations on our ability to sell our products in certain foreign markets, and the risks and costs of non-compliance.
For
example, in response to the rapidly developing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the U.S. has imposed and may further impose, and
other countries may additionally impose, broad sanctions or other restrictive actions against governmental and other entities in Russia,
and such sanctions or actions could cut off or impede the flow of raw materials for our products, including minerals that are used in
our stainless steel and copper alloys. Additionally, further escalation of geopolitical tensions could have a broader impact that extends
into other markets where we do business. Any of these risks could adversely affect our international sales, reduce our international
revenues, or increase our operating costs, adversely affecting our business, financial condition, and operating results.
- 13 -
Risk
Relating to Our Business – Manufacturing and Operations
Our
manufacturing plant(s) may be damaged or destroyed.
The
majority of the Company’s manufacturing capacity is currently located in Exton, Pennsylvania, where we own two manufacturing facilities
which are in close proximity to each other, and in Banbury, England in the U.K. where we rent a manufacturing facility. On a smaller
scale the Company also manufactures product in Houston, Texas. We do not have any operational manufacturing capacity for flexible metal
hose outside of these locations. We cannot replicate our manufacturing methods at a supplier’s facility due to the confidential
and proprietary nature of our manufacturing process. If one of the manufacturing facilities were destroyed or damaged in a significant
manner, we would likely experience a delay or some interruption of our flexible metal hose operations. This could lead to a reduction
in sales volume if customers were to purchase their requirements from our competitors, claims for breach of contract by certain customers
with contracts for delivery of flexible metal hose by a certain date, and costs to replace our destroyed or damaged manufacturing capacity.
The fittings and accessories for the flexible metal hose are manufactured for us by suppliers not located in Exton, Pennsylvania, and
the Company also has outside warehouses which contain finished goods inventory. Disruption of or damage to our supply of these items
could damage our business, competitive position, results of operations or financial condition.
We
are dependent on certain raw materials and supplies that could be subject to volatile price escalation .
As
a manufacturer of flexible metal hose, we must use certain raw materials in the manufacture of the hose. The primary raw material is
stainless steel that is used in the forming of the hose, and various other steel products used in the wire braid overlay over some flexible
metal hoses for additional strength and durability, as well as copper alloy for MediTrac ® CMT. We also use polyethylene
in pellet form for the forming and extrusion of a polyethylene jacket over CSST for use in fuel gas applications, underground installations,
and other installations that require that the metal hose be isolated from the environment. Finally, we also purchase our proprietary
brass and stainless steel fittings used with the flexible metal hose that provide a mechanical means of attaching the hose to an assembly
or junction. We attempt to limit the effects of volatile raw material prices, and to ensure adequate and timely supply of material, by
committing to annual purchase contracts for the bulk of our steel and polyethylene requirements, and for our fitting requirements. The
contracts typically represent a significant portion of the Company’s annual planned usage and are set at a designated fixed price
or a range of prices. These agreements sometimes require the Company to accept delivery of the commodity in the quantities committed,
at the agreed upon prices. Transactions in excess of the pre-arranged commitments are conducted at current market prices at the Company’s
discretion. The Company has identified multiple qualified vendors to produce or manufacture our critical purchase requirements. The Company
does however tend to rely on one or two sources for each or our primary components to leverage the relationship and pricing. Therefore,
there is no assurance that the Company would be able to eliminate all or most of the adverse effects of a sudden increase in the cost
of materials or key components, or that the loss of one or more of our key sources would not lead to higher costs or a disruption in
our business, which could damage our business, competitive position, results of operations or financial condition.
If
we were to lose the services of one or more of our senior management team, we may not be able to execute our business strategy
Our
future success depends in a large part upon the continued service of key members of our senior management team. The senior executives
are critical to the development of our products and our strategic direction and have a keen knowledge of business operations and processes.
Their unique abilities, experience and expertise cannot be easily duplicated or replaced. As much as possible, senior executives strive
to educate and develop other layers of staff and succession planning, but the loss of any of our senior management could seriously harm
our business.
- 14 -
Risk
Relating to Our Business – Legal
Susceptibility
of litigation and significant legal costs or settlements.
In
the ordinary and normal conduct of the Company’s business, it is subject to periodic lawsuits, investigations, and claims (collectively,
the “Claims”). The Company has continued to receive repeat pattern Claims relating to our flexible gas piping products, although
the pace of the new Claims has generally declined over the last several years. While the Company does not believe the Claims have legal
merit, and has successfully defended itself vigorously against such Claims, there is no guarantee that the pace of claims will not increase
or subside. Any significant increase in the number of Claims, the financial magnitude of Claims brought against the Company, the costs
of defending the Claims, particularly under higher retentions of the Company’s current product liability insurance policies, could
have a detrimental impact on the Company’s business, competitive position, results of operations or financial condition, perhaps
materially.
If
we are not able to protect our intellectual property rights, we may not be able to compete as effectively.
We
possess a wide array of intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and applications for the above, as well
as trade secrets, manufacturing know-how, and other proprietary information. Certain of these intellectual property rights form the basis
of our competitive advantage in the marketplace through a superior product design, a superior business process, superior manufacturing
methods or other features that provide an advantage over our competitors. The intellectual property rights are sometimes subject to infringement
or misappropriation by other organizations, and failing an amiable resolution, we may be forced to resort to legal proceedings to protect
our rights in such intellectual property.
In
the past, the Company has needed to protect itself and resort to legal action, in one instance regarding a trade secret, and other instances
where we sued flexible gas pipe competitors for infringement on one or more of our U.S. patents covering our various piping and/or fitting
products. In each instance, the Company received favorable rulings, thus solidifying the validity of our intellectual property. Although
the Company has had past success, the results we may obtain from resorting to any such legal proceedings are never assured, and it is
possible that an adverse decision may be delivered in any particular proceeding. As a result, we may not be able to retain the exclusive
rights to utilize and practice such intellectual property rights, and one or more of our competitors could utilize and practice such
intellectual property rights. This development may lessen our competitive advantage vis-à-vis one or more competitors, and lead
to a reduction in sales volume in one or more product lines, a reduction in profit margin in such product lines, or both, which would
damage our business, competitive position, results of operations or financial condition.
Risk
Relating to Our Business – General and Macroeconomic
Our
business may be subject to the supply and availability of fuel gas supplies and infrastructure.
With
increasing debate on the effect of human activities on climate change, there has been a focus on transitioning energy and heating in
buildings away from fossil fuels, such as natural gas and liquid propane. Several municipalities in the U.S. have announced policy decisions
to move away from fossil fuel applications in the future, including prohibiting the new installation of appliances fueled by natural
gas or liquid propane. Although there are significant technical and economic hurdles, it is possible that a large scale movement, in
individual cities and states or on a federal level, away from fossil fuels may increase in the future. Such moves could reduce the demand
for our flexible gas piping products that carry natural gas or liquid propane from the building’s meter to the gas-fired appliance,
which represent a major part of the Company’s sales and net profits. As a result, it is possible in the future that proposals to
limit or eliminate the use of fossil fuels could adversely impact the financial results of the Company, perhaps materially.
- 15 -
Our
TracPipe ® and CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping products are used to convey fuel gas, primarily natural
gas, but also propane, within a building from the exterior wall of the building to any gas-fired appliances within the building. Because
those products are used in the transmission of fuel gas, the applications are limited to geographic areas where such fuel gas is available.
Certain geographic areas of the U.S. and other countries do not have the infrastructure to make natural gas available. Other types of
fuel gas may be used in areas where there are no natural gas pipelines, but these alternate fuel gas sources have other distribution
issues that may constrict their availability. Our prospects for future growth of the TracPipe ® and CounterStrike ®
products are largely limited to those areas that have natural gas transmission lines available for use in residences and commercial
buildings.
We
may substantially increase our debt in the future or be restricted from accessing funds.
We
are currently not carrying any long-term debt, although the Company has a line of credit facility available for use as described in Note
5, Line of Credit, to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report. We may consider borrowing funds for purposes of
working capital, capital purchases, research and development, potential acquisitions, and business development. If we do use credit facilities,
interest costs associated with any such borrowings and the terms of the loan could potentially adversely affect our profitability. Additionally,
the current line of credit has debt covenants associated with it which may restrict the level of borrowing the Company may take on. Lack
of access to financing, or desirable terms or at all, could damage our business, competitive position, results of operations or financial
condition.
Changes
in the method pursuant to which the LIBOR rates are determined and potential phasing out of LIBOR and adoption of SOFR after 2021 may
affect our financial results.
Borrowings
under our line of credit facility bear interest at variable rates based on LIBOR. The U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority, which
regulates LIBOR, has announced that it intends to stop encouraging or requiring banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR rates
after 2021, and it is unclear if LIBOR will cease to exist or if new methods of calculating LIBOR will evolve. The Federal Reserve Bank
formed the Alternative Rates Committee (ARRC) to consider options for transitioning away from LIBOR. The ARRC selected the Secured Overnight
Financing Rate (SOFR) as an appropriate replacement. SOFR is based on transactions in the overnight repurchase markets, which reflects
a transaction-based rate on a large number of transactions, better reflecting current financing costs. If LIBOR ceases to exist or if
the methods of calculating LIBOR change from their current form, or if new methods are implemented such as SOFR, interest rates on our
current or future debt obligations may be adversely affected.
Our
business may be subject to varying demands based on market interest rates.
Our
TracPipe ® and CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping products are used in the construction industry, both in
residential, commercial, and industrial segments, for the piping of fuel gas within a building. The demand for new or remodeled construction
in the construction industry – and in particular the residential construction industry – is susceptible to fluctuations in
interest rates charged by banks and other financial institutions as well as consumer demand. The purchasers of new or remodeled construction
generally finance the construction or acquisition of the residential, commercial, or industrial buildings, and any increase in the interest
rates on such financing will raise the acquisition cost of the potential purchaser. While interest rates are currently low, there is
no guarantee that will remain the case in the future. If costs increase significantly, a higher amount of potential buyers may not be
able to support the level of financing under a higher interest rate environment. Increased acquisition costs may lead to a decline in
the demand for new or remodeled construction, and as a result may also lead to a reduced demand for our products used in construction
industry, which could damage our business, competitive position, results of operations or financial condition.
Our
business may be subject to cyclical demands.
The
demand for our products may be subject to cyclical demands in the markets in which we operate. Our customers who use our products in
industrial and commercial applications are generally manufacturing capital equipment for their customers. Similarly, our TracPipe ®
and CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping products are used primarily in residential construction, both in single-family
buildings, and in larger multi-unit buildings. Should there be any change in factors that affect the rate of new residential construction,
our growth rate would likely be impacted. To the extent that interest rates increase, in conjunction with an economic cycle or as part
of the general economic conditions in the U.S. or abroad, the demand for our products in such applications may decrease as well, which
could damage our business, competitive position, results of operations or financial condition.
- 16 -
Our
business may be subject to seasonal or weather related factors.
The
demand for our products may be affected by factors relating to seasonal demand for the product, or a decline in demand due to inclement
weather. Our TracPipe ® and CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping products are installed in new or remodeled
buildings, including homes, apartment buildings, office buildings, warehouses, and other commercial or industrial buildings. Generally,
the rate of new or remodeled buildings in the U.S. and in the other geographic markets in which we are present decline in the winter
months due to the inability to dig foundations, problems at the job site relating to snow, or generally due to low temperatures and stormy
weather. As the rate of construction activity declines during the winter, the demand for our corrugated stainless steel tubing may also
decrease or remain static.
Our
business may be subject to the impact of currency volatility.
The
Company has operations in the U.K., and does business transactions elsewhere in the world outside of the U.S. While the magnitude of
these transactions outside of the U.S. have thus far not been significant, and typically not in currencies of high volatility, it is
possible that they could be material. Events such as Brexit, as described above, or other instances of political and economic turmoil
or uncertainty, could create a weakened British Pound (“BP”) in comparison to other currencies. A weakened BP would in turn
have a direct negative impact on the Company’s financial statements, as we would experience losses when settling transactions in
other currencies, and experience unfavorable results due to the translation of financial statements with a lower exchange rate. During
2020 and 2021 there was not any notable impact due to currency volatility on the financial statements, but going forward, it is possible
that the BP, other currencies that we engage in, or even the U.S. Dollar may weaken, and materially impact the financial position, operations,
and liquidity of the Company.
A
cyberattack or other computer system breach could harm us.
In
recent years, the topic of cybersecurity, or the lack thereof, has been an issue of high concern. The Company currently maintains a robust
firewall and other safeguards to either prevent or detect against nefarious actors looking to breach or infiltrate our data and has backup
systems in place. The Company’s website is housed and maintained by a third party who maintain their own controls. The Company
currently has a very low volume of sales coming through the internet, and processes very few credit card transactions. While it currently
appears that the Company has a low level of risk related to cybercrime, the vulnerability still exists and could affect the Company negatively.
The
COVID-19 pandemic affected and may continue to affect the business.
The
ongoing global outbreak of coronavirus, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, and a national
emergency by the President of the U.S. on March 13, 2020, has caused and is continuing to cause business slowdowns and shutdowns and
turmoil in the financial markets both in the U.S. and abroad. The Company is monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business,
including how it has impacted and will impact the Company’s employees, customers, suppliers, and distribution channels. The COVID-19
pandemic, as well as the quarantines and other governmental and non-governmental restrictions that have been imposed throughout the world
in an effort to contain or mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, has created significant volatility, uncertainty and economic disruption
which affected and may continue to affect the Company’s business. For example, governmental authorities in several jurisdictions
have and had ordered the cessation of all business activity that is and was deemed non-essential and, although the Company’s business
has to date been deemed essential in many affected markets, there is a risk that these shutdown orders will be extended or expanded,
or that similar shutdown orders will be implemented in other regions.
- 17 -
The
Company is currently navigating through this unprecedented crisis without any government support from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s
Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), and the nature and magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic’s ultimate impact on the
Company will depend on numerous evolving factors, future developments and cascading effects of the coronavirus pandemic that the Company
is not able to predict, including: the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the international actions and business restrictions
that are being undertaken and implemented as a result of it; governmental, business and other responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, including
the promotion of “social distancing,” the issuance of shelter in place orders and restrictions on the Company’s operations,
and the possibility that government officials may mandate that the Company provide products or services; potential disruptions in the
Company’s supply chain; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s ability to execute its short-term and long-term
business strategies and initiatives; the extent to which forced remote working arrangements reduce the Company’s ability to manage
its business effectively; the extent to which staffing shortages due to members of the Company’s workforce being quarantined or
exposed to the coronavirus may be detrimental to the Company’s operations; and the Company’s ability to maintain current
levels of skilled headcount without the proceeds of a loan under the PPP (a “PPP Loan”) as a source of additional liquidity.
Furthermore, while the Company timely returned the proceeds of a PPP Loan in 2020 that it initially received out of an abundance of caution
in reliance on U.S. Treasury Department and Small Business Administration guidance that companies were able to do so without penalty,
as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, federal or state governments (including government agencies such as the Treasury Department, the Small
Business Administration or the Securities and Exchange Commission) could promulgate new statutes, regulations, guidance or relief measures,
or rescind or modify existing statutes, regulations, guidance or relief measures, in a way that is detrimental to the Company or its
business, including as a result of the Company’s prior application for a loan under the PPP.
In
addition, while the Company cannot predict the magnitude of the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its customers and suppliers
or their financial conditions, any material effect on the Company’s customers or suppliers could adversely impact the Company.
For example, the Company’s customers or suppliers may themselves assert, or attempt to terminate various agreements and arrangements
with us on the basis of, contractual force majeure provisions, and any termination of a significant commercial agreement may adversely
harm our operations. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic and related travel restrictions and other containment efforts have had a significant
impact on the travel industry, which may result in reduced demand for products. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may also exacerbate
other risk factors in this Item 1A, any of which could have a material effect on the Company. For example, the risks associated with
potential cybersecurity threats may be magnified given the increase in the number of Company employees working remotely using personal
electronic devices and home internet connections.
The
extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business is highly uncertain and difficult to predict, as information
is rapidly evolving with respect to the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. At this point, the Company cannot reasonably
estimate the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic or its overall impact on the Company’s business.
Various
other general and macroeconomic issues may impact the business
Conflicts,
wars, natural disasters, infectious disease outbreaks (see Pandemic above) or terrorist acts could also cause significant damage or disruption
to our operations, employees, facilities, systems, suppliers, supply chain, distributors, resellers, or customers in the U.S. and internationally
for extended periods of time and could also affect demand for our products.
Risks
Associated with Our Common Stock
The
concentration of ownership of our common stock could impact its market price.
On
December 31, 2021, approximately 70% of the issued and outstanding common stock is owned or controlled by inside affiliated parties to
the Company, with the largest being: The Estate of John E. Reed, Stewart B. Reed, Kevin R. Hoben and Mark F. Albino. Stewart B. Reed
currently serves on the Board of Directors, where he presides as Vice Chairman. Mr. Hoben and Mr. Albino also serve on the Board of Directors,
with Mr. Hoben being the Chairman of the Board, and both are officers of the Company. This concentration of ownership may have the effect
of reducing the volume of trading of the common stock on the NASDAQ. A decrease in trading volume could result in lower prices for the
common stock because there is not a sufficient supply of shares to create a vibrant market for our shares on the NASDAQ, or inversely
could drive the common stock price higher when demand exceeds supply.
- 18 -
The
concentration of ownership of common stock could exert significant influence over matters requiring shareholder approval, including takeover
attempts.
Because
of their significant ownership of our common stock, our officer and directors and their respective affiliates may, as a practical matter,
be able to exert influence over matters requiring approval by our shareholders, including the election of directors and the approval
of mergers or other business combinations. This concentration also could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control
of the Company.
Item
1B – UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
Item
2 - PROPERTIES
The
Company utilizes two facilities in Exton, Pennsylvania, which is located approximately one hour west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One
facility which is owned by the Company, contains approximately 83,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space. The other facility
which is located nearby provides another 30,000 square feet of space, mostly used for manufacturing. The majority of the manufacturing
of our flexible metal hose is performed at the Exton facilities. Also, within the U.S., the Company leases a facility in Houston, Texas,
which contains manufacturing, stocking and sales operations, and a corporate office located in Middletown, Connecticut. In the U.K.,
the Company rents a facility in Banbury, England, which manufactures products and serves sales, warehousing, and operational functions
as well.
Item
3 - LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
See
legal proceedings disclosure in Note 10, Commitments and Contingencies, to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report.
Item
4 – MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
The
Company does not have any disclosures applicable to mine safety.
PART
II
Item
5 - MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Common
Stock
Our
common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market, under the symbol OFLX. The number of shareholders of record as of December 31, 2021,
based on inquiries of the registrant’s transfer agent, was 321. For this purpose, shareholders whose shares are held by brokers
on behalf of such shareholders (shares held in “street name”) are not separately counted or included in that total.
Shareholder
Return Performance Presentation
The
Shareholder Return Performance Presentation shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or subject to Regulations 14A
or 14C of the Securities and Exchange Commission or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange
Act”) and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference by any general statement incorporating by reference this annual report
into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or under the Exchange Act, and shall not otherwise be deemed filed under such Acts.
- 19 -
The
following graph shows the changes on a cumulative basis in the total shareholder return on the Omega Flex common stock and compares those
changes in shareholder return with the total return on the S&P 500 Index and the total return on the S&P 500 Building Products
Index. The graph begins with a base value of $100 on December 31, 2016 and shows the cumulative changes over the last five years, ended
on December 31, 2021. The graph assumes $100 was invested on December 31, in each of the three alternatives, and that all dividends have
been reinvested.
Company / Index
Base
Period
12/31/16
Indexed Returns – Year Ending
12/16
12/17
12/18
12/19
12/20
12/21
Omega Flex, Inc.
100.00
129.31
99.36
205.69
282.57
247.79
S&P 500
100.00
121.83
116.49
153.17
181.35
233.41
S&P Building Products
100.00
111.53
84.34
125.09
158.76
233.18
Dividends
The
Company currently has a policy of paying regular quarterly dividends, which is expected to continue. In addition, the Company may pay
special dividends from time to time, as we did during December 2019. Further details regarding dividends are contained in Note 6, Shareholders’
Equity to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report.
- 20 -
The
Board, in its sole discretion, has a general policy of reviewing the cash needs of the Company from time to time, and based on results
of operations, financial condition and capital expenditure plans, possible acquisitions, as well as other factors that the Board may
consider relevant, determining on a quarterly basis whether to declare a regular quarterly dividend, or a special dividend.
Item
6 - SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Not
applicable.
Item
7 - MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
This
report contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to inherent uncertainties. These uncertainties include, but are not limited
to, variations in weather, changes in the regulatory environment, customer preferences, general economic conditions, increased competition,
the outcome of outstanding litigation, and future developments affecting environmental matters. All of these are difficult to predict,
and many are beyond the ability of the Company to control.
Certain
statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not historical facts, but rather reflect the Company’s current expectations
concerning future results and events, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. The words “believes”, “expects”, “intends”, “plans”, “anticipates”,
“hopes”, “likely”, “will”, and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to differ materially from future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s view only as of the date
of this Form 10-K. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements which
may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, conditions,
or circumstances.
OVERVIEW
The
Company is a leading manufacturer of flexible metal hose and is currently engaged in a number of different markets, including construction,
manufacturing, transportation, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and other industries.
The
Company’s business is managed as a single operating segment that consists of the manufacture and sale of flexible metal hose, fittings,
and accessories. The Company’s products are concentrated in residential and commercial construction, and general industrial markets,
with a comprehensive portfolio of intellectual property and patents issued in various countries around the world. The Company’s
primary product, flexible gas piping, is used for gas piping within residential and commercial buildings. Through its flexibility and
ease of use, the Company’s TracPipe ® and TracPipe ® CounterStrike ® flexible gas piping,
along with its fittings distributed under the trademarks AutoSnap ® and AutoFlare ® , allows users to substantially
cut the time required to install gas piping, as compared to traditional methods. The Company’s newest product line MediTrac ®
corrugated medical tubing is used for piping medical gases (oxygen, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and medical vacuum)
in health care facilities. Building on the recognized strengths and strategies employed in the flexible gas piping market, MediTrac ®
can be used in place of rigid copper pipe, and due to its long continuous lengths and flexibility, it can be installed approximately
five times faster than rigid copper pipe, saving on installation labor and construction schedules. The Company’s products are manufactured
at its Exton, Pennsylvania and Houston, Texas facilities in the U.S., and in Banbury, Oxfordshire in the U.K. A majority of the Company’s
sales across all industries are generated through independent outside sales organizations such as sales representatives, wholesalers
and distributors, or a combination of both. The Company has a broad distribution network in North America and to a lesser extent in other
global markets.
- 21 -
CHANGES
IN FINANCIAL CONDITION
The
Company’s cash balance of $32,913,000 at December 31, 2021 increased $9,280,000 (39.3%) from a $23,633,000 balance at December
31, 2020. The primary reason for the increase in cash related to income generated from operations during 2021. This was partially offset
by dividend payments during 2021 totaling $14,867,000, as detailed in Note 6, Shareholders’ Equity, to the Consolidated Financial
Statements included in this report. See the Company’s Consolidated Cash Flow Statement for further details regarding the change
in cash.
Inventory
was $15,565,000 and $11,510,000 as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, increasing $4,055,000 or 35.2%. The increase
is mainly the result of the purchase of inventory in anticipation of stronger customer demand and to ensure enough materials on hand
because of sporadic supply chain issues.
Accrued
Commissions and Sales Incentives were $7,183,000 and $4,348,000 as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, increasing
$2,835,000 or 65.2%. The increase is the result of higher sales which allowed for many of our customers to achieve growth tiers as defined
within their sales incentive agreements.
Retained
earnings were $50,053,000 and $35,769,000 as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, increasing $14,284,000 or 39.9%.
The increase was primarily due to an increase in net income during the year, as provided on the Company’s Consolidated Statement
of Operations, partially offset by dividends declared during 2021, as discussed in detail in Note 6, Shareholders’ Equity, to the
Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report.
RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS
Twelve-months
ended December 31, 2021 vs. twelve months ended December 31, 2020
The
Company reported comparative results from operations for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 as follows:
Twelve-months ended December 31,
(dollars in thousands)
2021
2021
2020
2020
Net Sales
$ 130,011
100.0 %
$ 105,796
100.0 %
Gross Profit
$ 81,531
62.7 %
$ 66,550
62.9 %
Operating Profit
$ 35,062
27.0 %
$ 26,653
25.2 %
Net
Sales . The Company’s sales for the full year of 2021 were $130,011,000, reflecting an increase of $24,215,000, or 22.9%, compared
to $105,796,000 in 2020. The increase in sales resulted mostly from an increase in unit volume, which was in some measure impacted by
the COVID-19 pandemic in the previous year, as well as increases to selling prices that were necessary to help offset rising material
commodity costs.
Gross
Profit . The Company’s gross profit margins were 62.7% and 62.9% for the years ended December 31, 2021, and 2020, respectively.
The Company was able to maintain margins similar to prior year levels despite rising material commodity costs which were mainly offset
by increases to selling prices.
Selling
Expenses . Selling expenses consist primarily of employee salaries and associated overhead costs, commissions, and the cost of marketing
programs such as advertising, trade shows and related communication costs, and freight. Selling expense was $20,429,000 and $16,580,000
for 2021 and 2020, respectively, representing an increase of $3,849,000, or 23.2%. The most significant increases included commissions
and freight, driven by the increase in sales. In addition, sales personnel were added in France and advertising, trade shows and travel
returned to more expected levels as these were restricted in the previous year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the same annual periods,
selling expense as a percentage of net sales was consistent at 15.7%.
- 22 -
General
and Administrative Expenses . General and administrative expenses consist primarily of employee salaries, benefits for administrative,
executive and finance personnel, legal and accounting, insurance, and corporate general and administrative services. General and administrative
expenses were $21,430,000 and $19,117,000 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, increasing $2,313,000, or 12.1%
between periods. Incentive compensation was derived from two notable yet partly offsetting components. There was an increase in the incentive
compensation component which is aligned with profitability; however, this was partially offset by a reduction in expense pertaining to
stock based compensation which moves in relation to the Company’s stock price, as detailed in Note 11, Stock Based Compensation
Plans. Other items increasing from the previous year include legal and product liability expenses and director fees. As a percentage
of net sales, general and administrative expenses were 16.5% and 18.1% for the twelve-months ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Engineering
Expenses . Engineering expenses consist of development expenses associated with the development of new products, and costs related
to enhancements of existing products and manufacturing processes. Engineering expenses increased $410,000 or 9.8% between periods, being
$4,610,000 and $4,200,000 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The increase was primarily attributable to an
increase in staffing, mainly in the U.K., and certification and qualification expenses. As a percentage of net sales for the year, engineering
expenses were 3.6% in 2021 and 4.0% in 2020.
Operating
Profit . Reflecting all of the factors mentioned above, operating profits increased $8,409,000, or 31.6%, between periods, reflecting
a profit of $35,062,000 in 2021, as compared to $26,653,000 in 2020.
Interest
Income. Interest income is recorded on cash investments, and interest expense is recorded at times when the Company has debt amounts
outstanding on its line of credit. The Company recorded interest income of $35,000 for 2021, compared to interest expense of $39,000
for 2020. The decrease in interest expense and increase in interest income was largely due to the interest expense incurred on the borrowings
of $15,000,000 on its line of credit for a portion of the second quarter of 2020 to ensure liquidity during the COVID-19 pandemic. There
were no borrowings on its line of credit during 2021.
Other
Income (Expense) . Other income (expense) primarily consists of foreign currency exchange gains (losses) on transactions within our
foreign subsidiaries, and therefore tends to fluctuate with the strengthening and or weakening of the British Pound. The Company recognized
other income of $21,000 during 2021 and other expense of $53,000 during 2020.
Income
Tax Expense . Income tax expense was $8,862,000 for 2021, compared to $6,594,000 for 2020. The $2,268,000 or 34.4% increase in tax
expense was largely the result of the increase in income before taxes. The effective tax rate for both periods was similar at approximately
25% of income before taxes.
Twelve-months
ended December 31, 2020 vs. twelve months ended December 31, 2019
The
Company reported comparative results from operations for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 as follows:
Twelve-months
ended December 31,
(dollars in thousands)
2020
2020
2019
2019
Net Sales
$ 105,796
100.0 %
$ 111,360
100.0 %
Gross Profit
$ 66,550
62.9 %
$ 70,487
63.3 %
Operating Profit
$ 26,653
25.2 %
$ 21,922
19.7 %
- 23 -
Net
Sales . The Company’s sales for the full year of 2020 were $105,796,000, reflecting a decrease of $5,564,000, or 5.0%, compared
to $111,360,000 in 2019. The decrease in sales resulted mostly from a decrease in unit volume, which was in some measure impacted by
the COVID-19 pandemic, partially offset by a mild increase to selling prices that was necessary to help offset a rise in material commodity
costs.
Gross
Profit . The Company’s gross profit margins were 62.9% and 63.3% for the twelve-months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
The Company was able to maintain margins like prior year levels despite COVID-19 disruptions, such as increased costs to sanitize the
factory and equipment, inefficiencies from staggered work shifts and overtime costs due to employees being quarantined, as well as unabsorbed
overhead.
Selling
Expenses . Selling expenses consist primarily of employee salaries and associated overhead costs, commissions, and the cost of marketing
programs such as advertising, trade shows and related communication costs, and freight. Selling expense was $16,580,000 and $19,032,000
for 2020 and 2019, respectively, representing a decrease of $2,452,000, or 12.9%. The most significant reduction relates to atypical
consulting costs identified during 2019, attributable to the Company’s new product, MediTrac ® flexible medical gas
piping. The Company also experienced decreases in travel and advertising during 2020, mostly related to restrictions stemming from the
pandemic. Commissions were also down due to the decrease in sales. Conversely, the Company expanded its sales related staffing resources.
For the same periods, selling expense as a percentage of net sales was 15.7% and 17.1%, respectively.
General
and Administrative Expenses . General and administrative expenses consist primarily of employee salaries, benefits for administrative,
executive and finance personnel, legal and accounting, insurance, and corporate general and administrative services. General and administrative
expenses were $19,117,000 and $24,818,000 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, decreasing $5,701,000, or 23%
between periods. Legal and product liability defense costs decreased $5,158,000, associated primarily with one class action case which
was dismissed during 2020, as explained in detail in Note 10, Commitments and Contingencies, of the Consolidated Financial Statements
to this report. Professional fees and director related fees were also lower. Those items were softened by an increase to incentive compensation,
which although not significant in total, was derived from two notable yet mostly offsetting components. There was an increase in the
incentive compensation component which is aligned with profitability; however, there was a reduction in stock based compensation expense
which moves in relation to the Company’s stock price, as detailed in Note 11, Stock Based Compensation Plans. As a percentage of
net sales, general and administrative expenses were 18.1% and 22.3% for the twelve-months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Engineering
Expenses . Engineering expenses consist of development expenses associated with the development of new products, and costs related
to enhancements of existing products and manufacturing processes. Engineering expenses decreased $515,000 or 10.9% between periods, being
$4,200,000 and $4,715,000 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The decrease was primarily attributable to a
reduction in experimental materials that diminished after the work was completed on various promising applications during 2019, and to
a lesser extent travel. As a percentage of net sales for the year, engineering expenses were 4.0% in 2020 and 4.2% in 2019.
Operating
Profit . Reflecting all of the factors mentioned above, operating profits increased $4,731,000, or 21.6%, between periods, reflecting
a profit of $26,653,000 in 2020, as compared to $21,922,000 in 2019.
Interest
Income. Interest income is recorded on cash investments, and interest expense is recorded at times when the Company has debt amounts
outstanding on its line of credit. The Company recorded interest expense of $39,000 for 2020, compared to interest income of $876,000
for 2019. The reduction in interest income was largely due to the lower cash balance and thus reduced investment, mostly resulting from
the $35,330,000 special dividend paid in December 2019. Additionally, the Company had borrowed $15,000,000 on its line of credit for
a portion of the second quarter of 2020 to ensure liquidity during the COVID-19 crisis. Earning potential on short-term liquid investments
has also diminished in comparison to this time last year.
- 24 -
Other
Income (Expense) . Other income (expense) primarily consists of foreign currency exchange gains (losses) on transactions within our
foreign subsidiaries, and therefore tends to fluctuate with the strengthening and or weakening of the British Pound. The Company recognized
other expense of $53,000 during 2020 and other income of $56,000 during 2019.
Income
Tax Expense . Income tax expense was $6,594,000 for 2020, compared to $5,429,000 for 2019. The $1,165,000 or 21.5% increase in tax
expense was largely the result of the increase in income before taxes. The effective tax rate for both periods was similar at approximately
24% to 25% of income before taxes.
COMMITMENTS
AND CONTINGENCIES
See
Note 10, to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report for a detailed description of commitments and contingencies.
FUTURE
IMPACT OF KNOWN TRENDS OR UNCERTAINTIES
The
Company’s operations are sensitive to a number of market and extrinsic factors, any one of which could materially adversely affect
the Company’s business, competitive position, results of operations or financial condition in any given year. See Item 1A, Risk
Factors, for a detailed description.
LIQUIDITY
AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Historically,
the Company’s primary cash needs have been related to working capital items, which the Company has largely funded through cash
generated from operations.
As
of December 31, 2021, the Company had a cash balance of $32,913,000. Additionally, the Company has a $15,000,000 line of credit available,
as discussed in detail in Note 5, which had no borrowings outstanding against it as of December 31, 2021. On December 31, 2020, the Company
had a cash balance of $23,633,000, with no borrowings against the line of credit.
Operating
Activities
Cash
provided by operating activities is net income adjusted for certain non-cash items and changes in certain assets and liabilities, such
as those included in working capital.
For
2021, the Company’s cash provided from operating activities was $25,149,000, compared to $19,310,000 of cash provided during 2020,
and $16,041,000 of cash provided during 2019. This illustrates an increase of $5,839,000 during 2021, versus an increase during 2020
of $3,269,000. For details of the operating cash flows refer to the consolidated statements of cash flows in Item 8. Financial Statements
and Supplementary Data on page 37.
As
a general trend, the Company tends to deplete or generate lower amounts of cash early in the year, as significant payments are typically
made for accrued promotional incentives, incentive compensation, and taxes. Cash has then historically shown a tendency to be restored
and accumulated during the latter portion of the year. However, as previously disclosed, during December 2019, the Company liquidated
its investments to support the payment of a special dividend to shareholders totaling $35,330,000.
Investing
Activities
Cash
used in investing activities during 2021 and 2020 was $971,000 and $564,000 respectively, all related to various capital expenditure
projects.
- 25 -
Cash
provided by investing activities during 2019 was $13,719,000, with most of the transactions related to the purchase and/or sale of short-term
investments. During December 2019, the Company liquidated all its existing short-term investments to support the payment of a special
dividend to shareholders. In total, cash proceeds from the sale of short-term investments during 2019 was $70,882,000. Inversely, cash
used for the purchase of the short-term investments during 2019 was $55,938,000. Cash was also used to purchase capital expenditures
of $1,225,000, mostly related to the new MediTrac ® products.
Financing
Activities
All
financing activities relate to dividend payments, which are detailed in Note 6, Shareholders’ Equity. Dividend payments for 2021,
2020, and 2019 amounted to $14,867,000, $11,306,000, and $46,028,000, respectively. 2019 included the payment of a special dividend,
which is primarily why the cash outflow in that year is higher. Dividend payments are outlined in Note 6, Shareholders’ Equity,
to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report. Also, see Note 5, Line of Credit and Other Borrowings, for a description
of borrowings and repayments during the second quarter of 2020. The Company had no borrowings or payments on its line of credit during
2021 or 2019.
Liquidity
We
believe our existing cash and cash equivalents, along with our borrowing capacity, will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash needs
for at least the next twelve months. Our future capital requirements will depend upon many factors including our rate of revenue growth,
the timing and extent of any expansion efforts, the potential for investments in, or the acquisition of any complementary products, businesses
or supplementary facilities for additional capacity, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The
Company’s primary contractual obligations as of December 31, 2021, which are due over the next twelve months are summarized in
the following table and are more fully explained in Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Contractual Obligations (in thousands)
Total
Operating Lease Obligations
$ 383
Purchase Obligations
31,292
Other Long-Term Liabilities
171
Total Contractual Cash Obligations
$ 31,846
As
explained in Note 11, Stock Based Compensation Plans, to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report, the Company is
obligated to make payments to plan participants. Due to the uncertain nature of the payments, due to numerous variables, including the
potential change in stock price, and employment status of participants and any applicable forfeitures, the amounts are not disclosed
in the above table. The liability associated with this plan as of December 31, 2021, which is anticipated to be paid within the next
year is $1,156,000.
RECENT
ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
In
March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform
on Financial Reporting . The ASU applies to all entities that have contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference
LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. The ASU provides optional expedients and
exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain
criteria are met. The expedients and exceptions provided by the ASU do not apply to contract modifications made and hedging relationships
entered into or evaluated after December 31, 2022, except for hedging relationships existing as of December 31, 2022, that an entity
has elected certain optional expedients for and that are retained through the end of the hedging relationship. The ASU is effective for
all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. The impact of the adoption of ASU 2020-04 did not have a material impact
on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
In
December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The guidance
removes certain exceptions for recognizing deferred taxes for equity method investments, performing intraperiod allocation, and calculating
income taxes in interim periods. The ASU also adds guidance to reduce complexity in certain areas, including recognizing deferred taxes
for goodwill and allocating taxes to members of a consolidated group, among others. The amendments in ASU 2019-12 are effective for public
business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods therein. Early adoption of the standard
is permitted, including adoption in interim or annual periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. The Company adopted
this new guidance, and it did not have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.
Item
7A - QUANTITATATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISKS
The
Company does not engage in the purchase or trading of market risk sensitive instruments. The Company does not presently have any positions
with respect to hedge transactions such as forward contracts relating to currency fluctuations. No market risk sensitive instruments
are held for speculative or trading purposes.
- 26 -
Item
8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Omega
Flex, Inc.
Index
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Page
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – Financial Statements (PCAOB ID: 49 )
28
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – Internal Control over Financial Reporting (PCAOB ID: 49)
30
Financial
Statements:
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020
31
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
32
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
33
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
34
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
35
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
36 to 51
- 27 -
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To
the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Omega Flex, Inc.
Opinion
on the Financial Statements
We
have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Omega Flex, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2021
and 2020, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each
of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2021, and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements (collectively,
the financial statements). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position
of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in
the period ended December 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We
have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated
Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in 2013, and our report dated March 14, 2022
expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Basis
for Opinion
These
financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s
financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent
with respect to the Company in accordance with U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We
conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits
included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud,
and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts
and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates
made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical
Audit Matter
The
critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that was communicated
or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial
statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective or complex judgments. The communication of the critical audit matter
does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit
matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
- 28 -
Product
liability claims
As
described in Notes 2 and 10 of the financial statements, the Company is subject to periodic lawsuits, investigations and claims, primarily
relating to potential lightning damage to its flexible gas piping products (the “Claims”). The Company accrues an estimated
product liability reserve related to the resolution cost of the Claims for which management believes a loss is probable of occurring,
and the amount of the loss is reasonably estimable, and discloses the aggregate maximum exposure for all open Claims. As of December
31, 2021, the Company accrued a product liability reserve of $262,000, and disclosed that the aggregate maximum exposure for all current
open claims is estimated not to exceed $9,100,000. Due to the uncertainty of potential costs to be incurred related to the Claims,
and the uncertainty of the ultimate outcome of each Claim, management applies significant judgements and estimates in determining the
probability that a loss has been incurred and the amount to accrue for such loss.
We
identified the accrual and disclosure of the Claims as a critical audit matter due to the significant judgments made by management when
assessing the probability of a loss as well as the ultimate resolution costs of the Claims. Auditing management’s estimates and
assumptions required a high degree of auditor judgment and increased audit effort due to the impact these assumptions have on the accrued
product liability reserves and disclosures.
Our
audit procedures related to the Claims included the following, among others:
●
We
obtained an understanding of the relevant controls related to management’s evaluation of the Claims for accrual and disclosure
and tested such controls for design and operating effectiveness, including controls around management’s evaluation of the probability
that a loss has been incurred and management’s estimate of the amount of the loss.
●
We
tested the accuracy and completeness of the underlying data that served as the basis for management’s estimates of the probability
that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss, including payment activity, relevant insurance coverage, lawsuit or claim
status, and any settlement activity.
●
We
evaluated the methods and assumptions used by management to develop the estimate of the probability a loss has been incurred on individual
product liability claims and the amount of such loss through consideration of historical claim and loss experience as well as current
claim status.
●
We
performed confirmation procedures with the Company’s external legal counsel to corroborate management’s assertions regarding
claim information, claim status, the probability the Company has incurred a loss, and the estimated amount of any potential loss.
These confirmation procedures were also used to test the completeness and accuracy of the underlying source data that served as the
basis of management’s estimates.
●
We
tested claim and settlement payment activity occurring subsequent to year end to assess the reasonableness of management’s
estimates and disclosures.
/s/
RSM US LLP
We
have served as the Company’s auditor since 2010.
Blue
Bell, Pennsylvania
March
14, 2022
- 29 -
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To
the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Omega Flex, Inc.
Opinion
on the Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We
have audited Omega Flex, Inc.’s (the Company) internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, based on criteria
established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway
Commission in 2013. In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting
as of December 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee
of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in 2013.
We
have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the 2021
consolidated financial statements of the Company and our report dated March 14, 2022 expressed an unqualified opinion.
Basis
for Opinion
The
Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment
of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over
Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based
on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company
in accordance with U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and
the PCAOB.
We
conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit
included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists,
and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included
performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis
for our opinion.
Definition
and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A
company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability
of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the
maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the
company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance
with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection
of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of
any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions,
or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/
RSM US LLP
Blue
Bell, Pennsylvania
March
14, 2022
- 30 -
OMEGA
FLEX, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
December
31,
(Dollars
in Thousands, except Common Stock par value)
2021
2020
ASSETS
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents
$ 32,913
$ 23,633
Accounts Receivable - less allowances of $ 1,410
and $ 1,124 ,
respectively
20,726
20,077
Inventories - Net
15,565
11,510
Other Current Assets
2,533
2,137
Total Current Assets
71,737
57,357
Right-Of-Use Assets - Operating
3,374
493
Property and Equipment - Net
8,569
8,599
Goodwill - Net
3,526
3,526
Deferred Taxes
7
5
Other Long Term Assets
1,702
1,591
Total Assets
$ 88,915
$ 71,571
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current Liabilities:
Accounts Payable
$ 3,355
$ 2,471
Accrued Compensation
7,008
5,429
Accrued Commissions and Sales Incentives
7,183
4,348
Dividends Payable
-
2,826
Taxes Payable
1
979
Lease Liability - Operating
383
247
Other Liabilities
4,864
5,571
Total Current Liabilities
22,794
21,871
Lease Liability - Operating, net of current portion
2,990
252
Deferred Taxes
427
121
Tax Payable Long Term
493
559
Other Long Term Liabilities
1,670
2,391
Total Liabilities
28,374
25,194
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 10)
-
-
Shareholders’ Equity:
Omega Flex, Inc. Shareholders’ Equity:
Common Stock – par value $ 0.01 share: authorized 20,000,000 shares: 10,153,633 shares issued at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and 10,094,322 outstanding at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively
102
102
Treasury Stock
( 1 )
( 1 )
Paid-in Capital
11,025
11,025
Retained Earnings
50,053
35,769
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
( 827 )
( 778 )
Total Omega Flex, Inc. Shareholders’ Equity
60,352
46,117
Noncontrolling Interest
189
260
Total Shareholders’ Equity
60,541
46,377
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
$ 88,915
$ 71,571
See
accompanying Notes which are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
- 31 -
OMEGA
FLEX, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
For
the years ended December 31,
(Amounts
in thousands, except per Share Data)
2021
2020
2019
Net Sales
$ 130,011
$ 105,796
$ 111,360
Cost of Goods Sold
48,480
39,246
40,873
Gross Profit
81,531
66,550
70,487
Selling Expense
20,429
16,580
19,032
General and Administrative Expense
21,430
19,117
24,818
Engineering Expense
4,610
4,200
4,715
Operating Profit
35,062
26,653
21,922
Interest Income (Expense)
35
( 39 )
876
Other Income (Expense)
21
( 53 )
56
Income Before Income Taxes
35,118
26,561
22,854
Income Tax Expense
8,862
6,594
5,429
Net Income
26,256
19,967
17,425
Less: Net Income – Noncontrolling Interest
( 61 )
( 57 )
( 139 )
Net Income attributable to Omega Flex, Inc.
$ 26,195
$ 19,910
$ 17,286
Basic and Diluted Earnings per Common Share
$ 2.60
$ 1.97
$ 1.71
Cash Dividends Declared per Common Share
$ 1.18
$ 1.12
$ 4.58
Basic and Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding
10,094
10,094
10,093
See
accompanying Notes which are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
- 32 -
OMEGA
FLEX, INC.
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
For
the years ended December 31,
(Dollars
in Thousands)
2021
2020
2019
Net Income
$ 26,256
$ 19,967
$ 17,425
Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income:
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment
( 52 )
140
46
Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income
( 52 )
140
46
Comprehensive Income
26,204
20,107
17,471
Less: Comprehensive Income Attributable to the Noncontrolling Interest
( 58 )
( 66 )
( 144 )
Total Other Comprehensive Income
$ 26,146
$ 20,041
$ 17,327
See
accompanying Notes which are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
- 33 -
OMEGA
FLEX, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
For
the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019
(Amounts
in Thousands, Except Share Amounts)
Common Stock Outstanding
Common
Stock
Treasury
Stock
Paid In Capital
Retained Earnings
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
Noncontrolling
Interest
Shareholders’
Equity
Balance - December 31, 2018
10,091,822
$ 102
$ ( 1 )
$ 10,808
$ 56,110
$ ( 950 )
$ 252
$ 66,321
Net Income
17,286
139
17,425
Cumulative Translation Adjustment
-
-
-
-
41
5
46
Shares Reissued From Treasury Pursuant To Restricted Stock Unit Awards
2,500
-
-
217
-
-
217
Dividends Declared
( 46,231 )
( 202 )
( 46,433 )
Balance - December 31, 2019
10,094,322
$ 102
$ ( 1 )
$ 11,025
$ 27,165
$ ( 909 )
$ 194
$ 37,576
Net Income
-
19,910
57
19,967
Cumulative Translation Adjustment
-
-
-
-
131
9
140
Dividends Declared
-
-
-
( 11,306 )
-
-
( 11,306 )
Balance - December 31, 2020
10,094,322
$ 102
$ ( 1 )
$ 11,025
$ 35,769
$ ( 778 )
$ 260
$ 46,377
Beginning Balance value
10,094,322
$ 102
$ ( 1 )
$ 11,025
$ 35,769
$ ( 778 )
$ 260
$ 46,377
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Net Income
26,195
61
26,256
Cumulative Translation Adjustment
-
-
-
-
-
( 49 )
( 3 )
( 52 )
Dividends Declared
-
-
-
( 11,911 )
-
( 129 )
( 12,040 )
Balance - December 31, 2021
10,094,322
$ 102
$ ( 1 )
$ 11,025
$ 50,053
$ ( 827 )
$ 189
$ 60,541
Ending Balance value
10,094,322
$ 102
$ ( 1 )
$ 11,025
$ 50,053
$ ( 827 )
$ 189
$ 60,541
See
accompanying Notes which are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
- 34 -
OMEGA
FLEX, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
For
the years ended December 31,
(Dollars
in Thousands)
2021
2020
2019
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net Income
$ 26,256
$ 19,967
$ 17,425
Adjustments to Reconcile Net Income to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities:
Non-Cash Compensation Expense
506
1,453
2,472
Depreciation and Amortization
1,020
870
719
Provision for Losses on Accounts
Receivable, net of write-offs and recoveries
286
( 299 )
748
Deferred Taxes
305
( 212 )
( 236 )
Provision for Inventory Reserves
101
45
( 15 )
Changes in Assets and Liabilities:
Accounts Receivable
( 943 )
( 2,683 )
( 1,282 )
Inventories
( 4,185 )
( 440 )
( 3,025 )
Right-Of-Use Assets
328
278
( 761 )
Other Assets
( 509 )
( 176 )
( 383 )
Accounts Payable
894
79
( 401 )
Accrued Compensation
1,582
804
( 693 )
Accrued Commissions and Sales Incentives
2,835
( 110 )
190
Lease Liabilities
( 335 )
( 287 )
777
Other Liabilities
( 2,992 )
21
506
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities
25,149
19,310
16,041
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Purchase of Investments
-
-
( 55,938 )
Net Proceeds from Sale of Investments
-
-
70,882
Capital Expenditures
( 971 )
( 564 )
( 1,225 )
Net Cash (Used In) Provided by Investing Activities
( 971 )
( 564 )
13,719
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Dividends Paid
( 14,867 )
( 11,306 )
( 46,028 )
Net Cash Used In Financing Activities
( 14,867 )
( 11,306 )
( 46,028 )
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents
9,311
7,440
( 16,268 )
Translation effect on cash
( 31 )
95
( 26 )
Cash and Cash Equivalents - Beginning of Year
23,633
16,098
32,392
Cash and Cash Equivalents - End of Year
$ 32,913
$ 23,633
$ 16,098
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information
Cash paid for Income Taxes
$ 9,602
$ 6,436
$ 5,431
Cash paid for Interest
$ -
$ 112
$ -
Declared Dividend
$ -
$ 2,826
$ 2,826
Additions to Right-Of-Use Assets obtained from new operating Lease Liabilities
$ 3,261
$ -
$ -
See
accompanying Notes which are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
- 35 -
OMEGA
FLEX, INC.
NOTES
TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1.
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND CONSOLIDATION
Description
of Business
The
accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Omega Flex, Inc. (Omega) and its subsidiaries (collectively the
“Company”). The Company’s audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and
2019 have been prepared in accordance with accounting standards set by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), and with the
instructions of Form 10-K and Article 5 of Regulation S-X. All material inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated
in consolidation.
The
Company is a leading manufacturer of flexible metal hose, which is used in a variety of applications to carry gases and liquids within
their particular applications. The Company’s business is controlled as a single operating segment that consists of the manufacture
and sale of flexible metal hose and accessories. These applications include carrying liquefied gases in certain processing applications,
fuel gases within residential and commercial buildings, medical gases in health care facilities, and vibration absorbers in high vibration
applications. The Company’s flexible metal piping is also used to carry other types of gases and fluids in a number of industrial
applications where the customer requires the piping to have both a degree of flexibility and/or an ability to carry corrosive compounds
or mixtures, or to carry at both very high and very low (cryogenic) temperatures.
The
Company manufactures flexible metal hose at its facilities in Exton, Pennsylvania and Houston, Texas, in the U.S., and in Banbury, Oxfordshire
in the U.K., and sells its products through distributors, wholesalers and to OEMs throughout North America, and in certain European markets.
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Use
of Estimates
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) requires management to make estimates
and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as
of the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Management develops,
and changes periodically, these estimates and assumptions based on historical experience and on various other factors that are believed
to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual amounts could differ significantly from these estimates.
Revenue
Recognition
The
Company applies the requirements of Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) . The
standard requires revenue to be recognized in a manner to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects
the consideration expected to be received in exchange for those goods or services.
The
principle of Topic 606 was achieved through applying the following five-step approach:
●
Identification
of the contract, or contracts, with a customer — a contract with a customer exists when the Company enters into an enforceable
contract with a customer, typically a purchase order initiated by the customer, that defines each party’s rights regarding
the goods to be transferred and identifies the payment terms related to these goods.
●
Identification
of the performance obligations in the contract — performance obligations promised in a contract are identified based on
the goods that will be transferred to the customer that are distinct, whereby the customer can benefit from the goods on their own
or together with other resources that are readily available from third parties or from us. Persuasive evidence of an arrangement
for the sale of product must exist. The Company ships product in accordance with the purchase order and standard terms as reflected
within the Company’s order acknowledgments and sales invoices.
- 36 -
●
Determination
of the transaction price —the transaction price is determined based on the consideration to which the Company will be entitled
in exchange for transferring goods to the customer. This would be the agreed upon quantity and price per product type in accordance
with the customer purchase order, which is aligned with the Company’s internally approved pricing guidelines.
●
Allocation
of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract — if the contract contains a single performance
obligation, the entire transaction price is allocated to the single performance obligation. This applies to the Company as there
is only one performance obligation to ship the goods.
●
Recognition
of revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation — the Company satisfies performance obligations
at a point in time when control of the goods transfers to the customer. Determining the point in time when control transfers requires
judgment. Indicators considered in determining whether the customer has obtained control of a good include:
■
The
Company has a present right to payment
■
The
customer has legal title to the goods
■
The
Company has transferred physical possession of the goods
■
The
customer has the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods
■
The
customer has accepted the goods
It
is important to note that the indicators are not a set of conditions that must be met before the Company can conclude that control of
the goods has transferred to the customer. The indicators are a list of factors that are often present if a customer has control of the
goods.
The
Company has typical, unmodified FOB shipping point terms. As the seller, the Company can determine that the shipped goods meet the agreed-upon
specifications in the contract or customer purchase order (e.g. items, quantities, and prices) with the buyer, so customer acceptance
would be deemed a formality, as noted in ASC 606-10-55-86. As a result, the Company has a legal right to payment upon shipment of the
goods.
Based
upon the above, the Company has concluded that transfer of control substantively transfers to the customer upon shipment.
Other
considerations of Topic 606 include the following:
●
Contract
Costs - costs to obtain a contract (e.g. customer purchase order) include sales commissions. Under Topic 606, these costs may
be expensed as incurred for contracts with a duration of one year or less. The majority of the Company’s customer purchase
orders are fulfilled (e.g. goods are shipped) within two days of receipt.
●
Warranties
- the Company does not offer a warranty as a separate component for customers to purchase. A warranty is generally included with
each purchase, providing assurance that the goods comply with agreed-upon specifications, and the cost is therefore accrued accordingly,
but contracts do not include any requirement for additional distinct services. Therefore, there is not a separate performance obligation,
and there is no impact of warranties under Topic 606 upon the financial reporting of the Company.
●
Returned
Goods - from time to time, the Company provides authorization to customers to return goods. If deemed to be material, the Company
would record a “right of return” asset for the cost of the returned goods which would reduce cost of sales.
- 37 -
●
Volume
Rebates (Promotional Incentives) - volume rebates are variable (dependent upon the volume of goods purchased by our eligible
customers) and, under Topic 606, must be estimated and recognized as a reduction of revenue as performance obligations are satisfied
(e.g. upon shipment of goods). Also under Topic 606, to ensure that revenue recognized would not be probable of a significant reversal,
the four following factors are considered:
■
The
amount of consideration is highly susceptible to factors outside the Company’s influence.
■
The
uncertainty about the amount of consideration is not expected to be resolved for a long period of time.
■
The
Company’s experience with similar types of contracts is limited.
■
The
contract has a large number and broad range of possible consideration amounts.
If
it was concluded that the above factors were in place for the Company, it would support the probability of a significant reversal of
revenue. However, as none of the four factors apply to the Company, promotional incentives are recorded as a reduction of revenue based
upon estimates of the eligible products expected to be sold.
Regarding
disaggregated revenue disclosures, as previously noted, the Company’s business is controlled as a single operating segment that
consists of the manufacture and sale of flexible metal hose. Most of the Company’s transactions are very similar in nature, contract,
terms, timing, and transfer of control of goods. As indicated within Note 2, Significant Accounting Policies, in these Consolidated Financial
Statements, under the caption “Significant Concentration”, the majority of the Company’s sales were geographically
contained within North America, with the remainder scattered internationally. All performance assessments and resource allocations are
generally based upon the review of the results of the Company as a whole.
Cash
Equivalents
The
Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of 90 days or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents.
Cash equivalents include investments in an institutional money market fund, which invests in U.S. Treasury bills, notes, and bonds, and/or
repurchase agreements, backed by such obligations. Carrying value approximates fair value. Cash and cash equivalents are deposited at
various area banks, which at times may exceed federally insured limits. The Company monitors the viability of the banking institutions
carrying its assets on a regular basis and has the ability to transfer cash to various institutions during times of risk. The Company
has not experienced any losses related to these cash balances and believes its credit risk to be minimal.
Accounts
Receivable and Provision for Credit Losses
All
accounts receivables are stated at amortized cost, net of allowances for credit losses, and adjusted for any write-offs. The Company
maintains allowances for credit losses, which represent an estimate of expected losses over the remaining contractual life of its receivables
considering current market conditions and estimates for supportable forecasts when appropriate. The estimate is a result of the Company’s
ongoing assessments and evaluations of collectability, historical loss experience, and future expectations in estimating credit losses
in its receivable portfolio. For accounts receivables, the Company uses historical loss experience rates and applies them to a related
aging analysis while also considering customer and/or economic risk where appropriate. Determination of the proper amount of allowances
requires management to exercise judgment about the timing, frequency and severity of credit losses that could materially affect the provision
for credit losses and, as a result, net earnings. The allowances consider numerous quantitative and qualitative factors that include
receivable type, historical loss experience, delinquency trends, collection experience, current economic conditions, estimates for supportable
forecasts, when appropriate, and credit risk characteristics.
The
reserve for credit losses, which include future credits, discounts, and doubtful accounts, was $ 1,410,000 and $ 1,124,000 as of December
31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Investments
The
Company invests excess funds in liquid interest earning instruments including U.S. Treasury bills and bank time deposits, with maturities
typically of one year or less. These investments are stated at fair value, which approximates amortized cost, and are classified as available-for-sale
in accordance with ASC 320, Investments – Debt and Equity Securities . The Company did not have any investments as of December
31, 2021 or 2020.
- 38 -
Inventories
Inventories
are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The cost of inventories is determined by the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method.
The Company generally considers inventory quantities beyond two years of usage, measured on a historical usage basis, to be excess inventory
and reduces the carrying value of inventory accordingly.
Property
and Equipment
Property
and equipment are initially recorded at cost. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the estimated
useful lives of the assets or, for leasehold improvements, the life of the lease, if shorter. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed
of, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in other
income or expense for the period. The cost of maintenance and repairs is expensed as incurred; significant improvements are capitalized.
Goodwill
In
accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC Topic 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (ASU
2017-04) , using the simplified method as adopted, the Company performed an annual impairment test as of December 31, 2021. This analysis
did not indicate any impairment of goodwill.
Stock-Based
Compensation Plans
In
2006, the Company adopted a Phantom Stock Plan (the “Plan”), which allows the Company to grant phantom stock units (“Units”)
to certain key employees, officers, or directors. The Units each represent a contractual right to payment of compensation in the future
based upon the market value of the Company’s common stock and are accordingly recorded as liabilities. The Units follow a vesting
schedule of three years from the grant date and are then paid upon maturity. In accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, Compensation -
Stock Compensation (“Topic 718”), the Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model as its method for determining
the fair value of the Units. The liabilities for the Units are adjusted to market value over time from the grant dates to the related
maturity dates. The Company recognizes the reversal of any previously recognized compensation expense on forfeited nonvested Units in
the period the Units are forfeited. Further details of the Plan are provided in Note 11, Stock-Based Compensation Plans, to the Consolidated
Financial Statements included in this report.
Product
Liability Reserves
Product
liability reserves represent the estimated unpaid amounts under the Company’s insurance policies with respect to existing claims.
The Company uses the most current available data to estimate claims. As explained more fully under Note 10, Commitments and Contingencies,
to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report for various product liability claims covered under the Company’s
general liability insurance policies, the Company must pay certain defense and settlement costs within its deductible or self-insured
retention limits, ranging primarily from $25,000 to $2,000,000 per claim, depending on the terms of the policy in the applicable policy
year, up to an aggregate amount. The Company is vigorously defending against all known claims.
- 39 -
Leases
Effective
January 1, 2019, the Company adopted the requirements of FASB ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) which defines a lease as any contract
that conveys the right to use a specific asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Leases are classified as a finance
lease, formerly called a capital lease, if any of the following criteria are met:
1.
The
lease transfers ownership of the underlying asset to the lessee by the end of the lease term.
2.
The
lease grants the lessee an option to purchase the underlying asset that the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise.
3.
The
lease term is for the major part of the remaining economic life of the underlying asset.
4.
The
present value of the sum of lease payments and any residual value guaranteed by the lessee equals or exceeds substantially all of
the fair value of the underlying asset.
5.
The
underlying asset is of such a specialized nature that it is expected to have no alternative use to the lessor at the end of the lease
term.
For
any leases that do not meet the criteria identified above for finance leases, the Company treats such leases as operating leases. As
of December 31, 2021, each of the Company’s leases are classified as operating leases.
Both
finance and operating leases are reflected on the balance sheet as lease or “right-of-use” assets and lease liabilities.
There
are some exceptions, which the Company has elected in its accounting policies. For leases with terms of twelve months or less, or below
the Company’s general capitalization policy threshold, the Company has elected an accounting policy to not recognize lease assets
and lease liabilities for all asset classes. The Company recognizes lease expense for such leases generally on a straight-line basis
over the lease term.
The
Company determines if a contract is a lease at the inception of the arrangement. The Company reviews all options to extend, terminate,
or purchase its right-of-use assets at the inception of the lease and accounts for these options when they are reasonably certain to
be exercised. Certain leases contain non-lease components, such as common area maintenance, which are generally accounted for separately.
In general, the Company will assess if non-lease components are fixed and determinable, or variable, when determining if the component
should be included in the lease liability. For purposes of calculating the present value of the lease obligations, the Company utilizes
the implicit interest rate within the lease agreement when known and/or determinable, and otherwise utilizes its incremental borrowing
rate at the time of the lease agreement.
Fair
Value of Financial and Nonfinancial Instruments
The
Company measures financial instruments in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures . The accounting
standard defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value under GAAP, and enhances disclosures about fair value measurements.
Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the
principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement
date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable
inputs. The standard creates a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into
three broad levels as follows: Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level
2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly
or indirectly; and Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs that reflect the Company’s own assumptions about the assumptions market
participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The Company relies upon Level 1 inputs in determining the fair value of the
Company’s reporting unit in its annual impairment test as described in the FASB ASC Topic 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other .
Advertising
Expense
Advertising
costs are charged to operations as incurred and are included in selling expenses in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations.
Such charges aggregated $ 877,000 , $ 691,000 , and $ 1,056,000 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
- 40 -
Research
and Development Expense
Research
and development expenses are charged to operations as incurred. Such charges totaled $ 627,000 , $ 831,000 , and $ 1,191,000 for the years
ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively and are included in engineering expense in the accompanying consolidated statements
of operations.
Shipping
Costs
Shipping
costs are included in selling expense on the consolidated statements of operations. The expense relating to shipping was $ 3,814,000 ,
$ 2,801,000 ,
and $ 2,862,000 for
the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Earnings
per Common Share
Basic
earnings per share have been computed using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. For the periods presented, there
are no dilutive securities. Consequently, basic and dilutive earnings per share are the same.
Currency
Translation
Assets
and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies, most of which relate to the Company’s U.K. subsidiary whose functional currency
is the British Pound, are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates prevailing on the balance sheet dates. The statements of income
are translated into U.S. dollars at average exchange rates for the period. Adjustments resulting from the translation of financial statements
are excluded from the determination of income and are accumulated in a separate component of shareholders’ equity. Exchange gains
and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are included in the statements of income (other expense) in the period in which
they occur.
Income
Taxes
The
Company accounts for tax liabilities in accordance with the FASB ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes . Under this method the Company recorded
tax expense, related deferred taxes and tax benefits, and uncertainties in tax positions.
Deferred
tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement
carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured
using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered
or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities from a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes
the enactment date. A valuation allowance is provided for deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that these items will either
expire before the Company is able to realize the benefit, or that future deductibility is uncertain.
The
FASB ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes , clarifies the criteria that an individual tax position must satisfy for some or all of the benefits
of that position to be recognized in a company’s financial statements. This guidance prescribes a recognition threshold of more-likely
than-not, and a measurement attribute for all tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return, in order for those tax positions
to be recognized in the financial statements.
The
Company follows the provisions of ASC 740-10 relative to accounting for uncertainties in tax positions. These provisions provide guidance
on the recognition, de-recognition and measurement of potential tax benefits associated with tax positions.
On
March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law making several changes to the Internal
Revenue Code. The changes include but are not limited to increasing the limitation on the amount of deductible interest expense, allowing
companies to carryback certain net operating losses, and increasing the amount of net operating loss carryforwards that corporations
can use to offset taxable income. The tax law changes in the CARES Act did not have a material impact on the Company’s income tax
provision.
- 41 -
Other
Comprehensive Income
For
the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, the components of other comprehensive income consisted solely of foreign
currency translation adjustments.
Significant
Concentrations
One
customer represented 13% to 14% of sales during each of the fiscal years in the period from 2019 to 2021, and that same customer accounted
for approximately 7% to 18% of the Accounts Receivable balance over the last two years. No other customer represented more that 10% of
Accounts Receivable or Sales. Geographically, North America accounted for approximately 89% to 93% of the Company’s sales during
the last three years. The remaining portion of sales for each respective year was scattered among other countries, with the U.K. being
the Company’s most dominant market outside North America .
Subsequent
Events
The
Company evaluates all events or transactions through the date of the related filing that may have a material impact on its Consolidated
Financial Statements. Refer to Note 13.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements
In
March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform
on Financial Reporting . The ASU applies to all entities that have contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference
LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. The ASU provides optional expedients and
exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain
criteria are met. The expedients and exceptions provided by the ASU do not apply to contract modifications made and hedging relationships
entered into or evaluated after December 31, 2022, except for hedging relationships existing as of December 31, 2022, that an entity
has elected certain optional expedients for and that are retained through the end of the hedging relationship. The ASU is effective for
all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. The impact of the adoption of ASU 2020-04 did not have a material impact
on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
In
December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The guidance
removes certain exceptions for recognizing deferred taxes for equity method investments, performing intraperiod allocation, and calculating
income taxes in interim periods. The ASU also adds guidance to reduce complexity in certain areas, including recognizing deferred taxes
for goodwill and allocating taxes to members of a consolidated group, among others. The amendments in ASU 2019-12 are effective for public
business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods therein. Early adoption of the standard
is permitted, including adoption in interim or annual periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. The Company adopted
this new guidance, and it did not have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.
- 42 -
3.
INVENTORIES
Inventories,
net of reserves of $ 505,000 and $ 407,000 , respectively, were as follows at December 31:
SCHEDULE OF INVENTORIES, NET OF RESERVES
2021
2020
(in thousands)
Finished Goods
$ 5,903
$ 5,068
Raw Materials
9,662
6,442
Total Inventories - Net
$ 15,565
$ 11,510
4.
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
Property
and equipment consisted of the following on December 31:
SCHEDULE OF PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
2021
2020
Depreciation and Amortization Est.
Useful Lives
(in thousands)
Land
$ 1,205
$ 1,205
Buildings
6,640
6,630
39 Years
Leasehold Improvements
412
413
3 - 10 Years (Lesser of Life or Lease)
Equipment
14,625
13,655
3 - 10 Years
Property and Equipment - Gross
22,882
21,903
Accumulated Depreciation
( 14,313 )
( 13,304 )
Property and Equipment - Net
$ 8,569
$ 8,599
The
above amounts include capital related items of $ 112,000 and $ 234,000 as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, which had not yet
been placed in service by the Company, and therefore no depreciation was recorded in the related periods for those assets. Depreciation
and amortization expense was approximately $ 1,020,000 , $ 870,000 , and $ 719,000 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
5.
LINE OF CREDIT AND OTHER BORROWINGS
On
December 1, 2017, the Company agreed to a new Amended and Restated Revolving Line of Credit Note (the “Line”) and Third Amendment
to the Loan Agreement with Santander Bank, N.A. (the “Bank”). The Company established a line of credit facility in the maximum
amount of $ 15,000,000 , maturing on December 1, 2022 , with funds available for working capital purposes and other cash needs. The loan
is unsecured. The loan agreement provides for the payment of any borrowings under the agreement at an interest rate range of either LIBOR
plus 0.75% to plus 1.75% (for borrowings with a fixed term of 30, 60, or 90 days), or, Prime Rate up to Prime Rate plus 0.50% (for borrowings
with no fixed term other than the December 1, 2022 maturity date), depending upon the Company’s then existing financial ratios.
Currently, the Company’s ratio would allow for the most favorable rate under the agreement’s range, which would be a rate
of 0.85%. The Company is also required to pay on a quarterly basis an unused facility fee of 10 basis points of the average unused balance
of the note. The Company may terminate the line at any time during the five-year term, as long as there are no amounts outstanding.
During
the quarter ended June 30, 2020, in an effort to ensure liquidity and secure all available resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, the
Company borrowed the full amount of its capacity on the line of $ 15,000,000 at the prime rate of 3.25 %. The Company repaid this amount
in full prior to the end of such quarter, and as of December 31, 2020, had no borrowings on its line of credit. As of December 31, 2021,
the Company also had no outstanding borrowings on its line of credit.
- 43 -
The
Company was in compliance with all debt covenants as of December 31, 2021 and 2020.
The
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was enacted on March 27, 2020 in the U.S. On April 7, 2020,
the Company received a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to fund the Company’s request for a
loan under the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP” and “PPP Loan”) created as part of the recently
enacted CARES Act administered by the SBA. In connection with the PPP Loan, the Company entered into a promissory note filed as Exhibit
10.2 attached to Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. Pursuant to the terms of the PPP Loan, the Company received total proceeds
of $ 2,453,000 from the Bank at an interest rate of just below 1 % per annum. After the issuance of the PPP Loan, the U.S. Treasury Department
issued new guidance on the PPP program, and advised that publicly traded companies that had access to other sources of financing may
not be appropriate candidates for the PPP Loans, and provided a grace period until May 7, 2020 for such companies to repay the previously
issued PPP Loans. Accordingly, in light of this guidance, the Company repaid the PPP Loan by May 7, 2020.
Lastly,
as stated above, borrowings under our line of credit facility bear interest at variable rates based on LIBOR. Currently, the Federal
Reserve Bank is considering options and transitioning away from LIBOR, and as such, has formed the Alternative Rates Committee (ARRC).
The ARRC selected the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) as an appropriate replacement. SOFR is based on transactions in the overnight
repurchase markets, which reflects a transaction-based rate on a large number of transactions, better reflecting current financing costs.
Discussions are ongoing with the Bank with regards to transitioning the rate for the Line from LIBOR to another appropriate rate such
as SOFR.
6.
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
As
of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had authorized 20,000,000 common stock shares with par value of $ 0.01 per share.
For both periods, the total number of outstanding shares was 10,094,322 , shares held in Treasury was 59,311 , and total shares issued
was 10,153,633 .
During
2021, 2020, and 2019, upon approval of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) the Company has declared and paid regular quarterly
dividends, as set forth in the following table:
SCHEDULE OF REGULAR QUARTER DIVIDEND PAYMENTS
Dividend Declared
Dividend Paid
Date
Price Per Share
Date
Amount
December 9, 2021
$ 0.30
December 30, 2021
$ 3,029,000
September 15, 2021
$ 0.30
October 4, 2021
$ 3,028,000
June 9, 2021
$ 0.30
July 6, 2021
$ 3,028,000
March 24, 2021
$ 0.28
April 14, 2021
$ 2,827,000
December 11, 2020
$ 0.28
January 5, 2021
$ 2,826,000
September 23, 2020
$ 0.28
October 13, 2020
$ 2,827,000
June 24, 2020
$ 0.28
July 13, 2020
$ 2,826,000
March 31, 2020
$ 0.28
April 17, 2020
$ 2,827,000
December 16, 2019 ( S )
$ 3.50
December 30, 2019
$ 35,330,000
December 14, 2019
$ 0.28
January 3, 2020
$ 2,826,000
( S )
indicates special dividend
In
addition to the above dividend amounts, there were dividends approved by the Company’s foreign subsidiary during September 2021,
December 2019, and July 2019, which amounted to outlays of cash of $ 129,000 , $ 65,000 , and $ 137,000 to the foreign subsidiary’s
noncontrolling interest respectively.
It
should be noted that from time to time, the Board may elect to pay special dividends, in addition to or in lieu of the regular quarterly
dividends, depending upon the financial condition of the Company.
- 44 -
The
Board approved and granted a total of 2,500 restricted stock unit awards (the “Awards”) to be allocated to the existing non-employee
directors of the Company. The Awards were approved by the shareholders of the Company at the annual meeting on June 11, 2019 and distributed
on June 20, 2019. A Form S-8 registration statement, and the restricted stock unit award agreements, were filed with the SEC on December
13, 2018 ( 2,000 units) and May 24, 2019 ( 500 units). The related director compensation cost of approximately $ 217,000 was recognized
during June 2019.
On
April 4, 2014, the Board authorized an extension of its stock repurchase program without expiration, up to a maximum amount of $ 1,000,000 .
The original program established in December 2007 authorized the purchase of up to $ 5,000,000 of its common stock. The purchases may
be made from time-to-time in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, depending on market and business conditions. The
Board retained the right to cancel, extend, or expand the share buyback program, at any time and from time-to-time. Since inception,
the Company has purchased a total of 61,811 shares for approximately $ 932,000 , or approximately $ 15 per share, which were held as treasury
shares. The Company has not made any stock repurchases since 2014.
7.
INCOME TAXES
Income
tax expense consisted of the following:
SCHEDULE OF COMPONENTS OF INCOME TAX EXPENSE (BENEFIT)
2021
2020
2019
December 31,
2021
2020
2019
(in thousands)
Federal Income Tax:
Current
$ 7,197
$ 5,617
$ 4,310
Deferred
264
( 175 )
( 216 )
State Income Tax:
Current
1,062
923
748
Deferred
43
( 30 )
( 36 )
Foreign Income Tax:
Current
298
266
607
Deferred
( 2 )
( 7 )
16
Income Tax Expense
$ 8,862
$ 6,594
$ 5,429
Pre-tax
income included foreign income of $ 1,500,000 , $ 1,341,000 , and $ 3,330,000 in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
- 45 -
Total
income tax expense differed from statutory income tax expense, computed by applying the U.S. federal income tax rate of 21 % to earnings
before income tax, as follows:
SCHEDULE OF EFFECTIVE INCOME TAX RATE RECONCILIATION
2021
2020
2019
December 31,
2021
2020
2019
(in thousands)
Computed Statutory Income Tax Expense
$ 7,362
$ 5,566
$ 4,770
State Income Tax, Net of Federal Tax Benefit
902
759
598
Foreign Tax Rate Differential
( 29 )
( 27 )
( 67 )
Executive Compensation Limitation
773
503
340
Foreign Derived Intangible Income Deduction
( 107 )
( 75 )
( 76 )
Research Credit
( 59 )
( 62 )
( 141 )
Other - Net
20
( 70 )
5
Income Tax Expense
$ 8,862
$ 6,594
$ 5,429
A
deferred income tax (expense) benefit results from temporary timing differences in the recognition of income and expense for income tax
and financial reporting purposes. The components of and changes in the net deferred tax assets (liabilities) which give rise to this
deferred income tax (expense) benefit for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 are as follows:
SCHEDULE OF DEFERRED TAX ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
2021
2020
December 31,
2021
2020
(in thousands)
Deferred Tax Assets:
Compensation Assets
$ 130
$ 124
Inventory Valuation
334
242
Accounts Receivable Valuation
329
266
Deferred Litigation Costs
12
12
Foreign Net Operating Losses
76
70
Valuation Allowance for Loss Carryover
( 76 )
( 70 )
Other
98
220
Compensation Liabilities
673
909
Total Deferred Assets
$ 1,576
$ 1,773
Deferred Tax Liabilities:
Prepaid Expenses
( 544 )
( 481 )
Depreciation and Amortization
( 1,452 )
( 1,408 )
Total Deferred Liabilities
$ ( 1,996 )
$ ( 1,889 )
Total Deferred Tax Liability
$ ( 420 )
$ ( 116 )
Management
believes it is more likely than not that the Company will have sufficient taxable income when these timing differences reverse and that
the deferred tax assets will be realized with the exception of a carryover of foreign operating losses. Due to the uncertainty of future
income in the foreign subsidiary, the Company has recognized a valuation allowance related to the foreign operating losses carrying forward.
The
Company is currently subject to audit by the Internal Revenue Service for the calendar years ended 2018 through 2020. The Company and
its Subsidiaries’ state income tax returns are subject to audit for the calendar years ended 2017 through 2020.
- 46 -
As
of December 31, 2021, the Company had no liability for unrecognized tax benefits related to various federal and state income tax matters.
8.
LEASES
In
the U.S., the Company owns its two main operating facilities located in Exton, Pennsylvania. In addition to the owned facilities, the
Company also has operations in other locations that are leased, as well as other leased assets. In conjunction with the new guidance
for leases, as defined by the FASB with ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), the Company has described the existing leases, which
are all classified as operating leases, pursuant to the below.
In
the U.S., the Company leases a facility in Houston, Texas, which currently provides manufacturing, stocking and sales operations, with
the lease term running through October 2024. Additionally, the Company leases its corporate office space in Middletown, Connecticut,
with the lease term expiring in June 2022.
In
the U.K., the Company leases a facility in Banbury, England, which serves manufacturing, warehousing, and other operational functions.
The lease in Banbury was effective April 1, 2006 and had a 15-year term which ended in March 2021. A new lease for Banbury was recently
consummated, effective April 1, 2021, with a 15-year term ending in March 2036.
In
addition to property rentals, the Company also has lease agreements in place for various fleet vehicles and equipment with various lease
terms.
In
the December 31, 2021 consolidated balance sheet, the Company has recorded right-of-use assets of $ 3,374,000 , and a lease liability of
$ 3,373,000 , of which $ 383,000 is reported as a current liability. The respective weighted average remaining lease term and discount rate
are approximately 12.95 years and 1.07 %.
Rent
expense for operating leases was approximately $ 421,000 , $ 301,000 , and $ 298,000 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019,
respectively.
Future
minimum lease payments, inclusive of interest, under non-cancelable leases as of December 31, 2021 is as follows:
SCHEDULE OF FUTURE MINIMUM RENTAL PAYMENTS FOR OPERATING LEASES
Year Ending December 31,
Operating Leases
(Amounts in thousands)
2022
$ 383
2023
302
2024
263
2025
209
2026
209
Thereafter
2,007
Total Minimum Lease Payments
$ 3,373
9.
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
Defined
Contribution and 401(K) Plans
The
Company maintains a qualified non-contributory profit-sharing plan (the “Plan”) covering all eligible employees. There were
$ 441,000 , $ 430,000 , and $ 380,000 of contributions accrued for the Plan in 2021, 2020 and 2019 respectively, which were charged to expense
in those respective years.
Contributions
to the Plan are defined as three percent ( 3 %) of gross wages up to the current Old Age, Survivors, and Disability (OASDI) limit and six
percent ( 6 %) of the excess over the OASDI limit, subject to the maximum allowed under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
Participants vest over six years.
- 47 -
The
Company also maintains a savings and retirement plan qualified under Internal Revenue Code Section 401(k) for all employees. Employees
are eligible to participate in the Plan the first day of the month following date of hire. Participants may elect to have up to fifty
percent ( 50 )% of their compensation withheld, up to the maximum allowed by the Internal Revenue Code. After completing one year of service,
the Company contributed an additional amount equal to 50 % of all employee contributions, up to a maximum of 6 % of an employee’s
gross wages. Contributions are funded on a current basis. Contributions to the Plan charged to expense for the years ended December 31,
2021, 2020 and 2019 were $ 315,000 , $ 295,000 , and $ 276,000 , respectively. The participant’s Company contribution vests ratably over
six years.
10.
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Commitments:
Under
a number of indemnity agreements between the Company and each of its officers and directors, the Company has agreed to indemnify each
of its officers and directors against any liability asserted against them in their capacity as an officer or director, or both. The Company’s
indemnity obligations under the indemnity agreements are subject to certain conditions and limitations set forth in each of the agreements.
Under the terms of the indemnity agreements, the Company is contingently liable for costs which may be incurred by the officers and directors
in connection with claims arising by reason of these individuals’ roles as officers and directors. The Company has obtained directors’
and officers’ insurance policies to fund certain obligations under the indemnity agreements.
The
Company has salary continuation agreements with current and/or past employees. These agreements provide for monthly payments to each
of the employees or their designated beneficiary upon the employee’s retirement or death. The payment benefits range from $ 1,000
per month to $ 3,000 per month with the term of such payments limited to 15 years after the employee’s retirement. The agreements
also provide for survivorship benefits if the employee dies before attaining age 65, and severance payments if the employee is terminated
without cause; the amount of which is dependent on the length of Company service at the date of termination. The net present value of
the retirement payments associated with these agreements is $ 447,000 as of December 31, 2021, of which $ 399,000 is included in Other
Long Term Liabilities, and the remaining current portion of $ 48,000 is included in Other Liabilities, associated with the applicable
retirement benefit payments over the next twelve months. The December 31, 2020 liability of $ 499,000 had $ 436,000 reported in Other Long
Term Liabilities, and a current portion of $ 63,000 in Other Liabilities.
The
Company has obtained and is the beneficiary of life insurance policies with respect to current and/or past employees. The cash surrender
value of such policies (included in Other Long Term Assets) amounts to $ 1,651,000 at December 31, 2021 and $ 1,556,000 at December 31,
2020.
In
addition to the above, the Company has other contractual employment and or change of control agreements in place with key employees,
as previously disclosed and noted in the Exhibit Index to this Form 10-K. Obligations related to these arrangements are currently indeterminable
due to the variable nature and timing of possible events required to incur such obligations.
As
disclosed in detail in Note 8, under the caption “Leases”, the Company has several lease obligations in place that will be
paid out over time. Most notably, the Company leases a facility in Banbury, England that serves the manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution
functions.
Lastly,
as provided earlier in Item 7 under “Liquidity and Capital Resources”, the Company has numerous purchase obligations in place
for the forthcoming year, largely related to the Company’s core material inventory components, totaling $ 31,846,000 .
- 48 -
Contingencies:
In
the ordinary and normal conduct of the Company’s business, it is subject to periodic lawsuits, investigations, and claims (collectively,
the “Claims”). The Claims generally relate to potential lightning damage to our flexible gas piping products, which impact
legal and product liability related expenses. The Company does not believe the Claims have legal merit, and therefore has commenced a
vigorous defense in response to the Claims. It is possible that the Company may incur increased litigation costs in the future due to
a variety of factors, including a higher number of Claims, higher legal costs, and higher insurance deductibles or retentions.
In
September 2017, a putative class action case was filed against the Company and other parties in Missouri state court. The Company successfully
removed the case to federal court, and in August 2020, the court granted the defendants’ joint summary judgement motion, and dismissed
the case. The parties have fully resolved the plaintiffs appeal of that decision, and the case has been dismissed by the plaintiffs,
thus concluding the matter.
The
Company was made aware of a potential legal liability regarding a legal dispute in the U.K., in which the Company’s subsidiary,
Omega Flex Limited (“OFL”), was the claimant. After withdrawing the claim, the court determined that OFL was responsible
for the defendant’s costs (including a portion of its attorneys’ fees). The Company reached an initial agreement during the
fourth quarter of 2020 and made a payment of £ 320,000 accordingly. An additional payment of £ 110,000 was made on January
5, 2022, which was recorded as an accrued liability as of December 31, 2021, and represented the remaining amount of the liability as
part of the final arrangement. This matter is now closed.
The
Company has in place commercial general liability insurance policies that cover most Claims, which are subject to deductibles or retentions,
ranging primarily from $ 25,000 to $ 2,000,000 per claim (depending on the terms of the policy and the applicable policy year), up to an
aggregate amount. Litigation is subject to many uncertainties and management is unable to predict the outcome of the pending suits and
claims. The potential liability for a given claim could range from zero to a maximum of $ 2,000,000 , depending upon the circumstances,
and insurance deductible or retention in place for the respective claim year. The aggregate maximum exposure for all current open Claims
as of December 31, 2021 is estimated to not exceed approximately $ 9,100,000 , which represents the potential costs that may be incurred
over time for the Claims within the applicable insurance policy deductibles or retentions. From time to time, depending upon the nature
of a particular case, the Company may decide to spend in excess of a deductible or retention to enable more discretion regarding the
defense, although this is not common. It is possible that the results of operations or liquidity of the Company, as well as the Company’s
ability to procure reasonably priced insurance, could be adversely affected by the pending litigation, potentially materially. The Company
is currently unable to estimate the ultimate liability, if any, that may result from the pending litigation, or potential litigation
from future claims or claims that have not yet come to our attention, and accordingly, the liability in the Consolidated Financial Statements
primarily represents an accrual for legal costs for services previously rendered, and outstanding or anticipated settlements for Claims.
The liabilities recorded on the Company’s books as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 were $ 262,000 and $ 642,000 , respectively,
and are included in Other Liabilities.
11.
STOCK BASED COMPENSATION PLANS
Phantom
Stock Plan
Plan
Description. On April 1, 2006, the Company adopted the Omega Flex, Inc. 2006 Phantom Stock Plan (the “Plan”). The
Plan authorizes the grant of up to one million units of phantom stock to employees, officers or directors of the Company. The phantom
stock units (“Units”) each represent a contractual right to payment of compensation in the future based on the market value
of the Company’s common stock . The Units are not shares of the Company’s common stock, and a recipient of the Units does
not receive any of the following:
■
ownership
interest in the Company
■
shareholder
voting rights
■
other
incidents of ownership to the Company’s common stock
- 49 -
The
Units are granted to participants upon the recommendation of the Company’s CEO, and the approval of the Compensation Committee.
Each of the Units that are granted to a participant will be initially valued by the Compensation Committee, at an amount equal to the
closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date, but are recorded at fair value using the Black-Scholes method as
described below. The Units follow a vesting schedule, with a maximum vesting of three years after the grant date. Upon vesting, the Units
represent a contractual right of payment for the value of the Unit and therefore are stated as liabilities in accordance with FASB ASC
Topic 718 , Compensation - Stock Compensation . The Units will be paid on their maturity date, one year after all of the Units granted
in a particular award have fully vested, unless an acceptable event occurs under the terms of the Plan prior to one year, which would
allow for earlier payment. The amount to be paid to the participant on the maturity date is dependent on the type of Unit granted to
the participant.
The
Units may be Full Value, in which the value of each Unit at the maturity date, will equal the closing price of the Company’s
common stock as of the maturity date; or Appreciation Only , in which the value of each Unit at the maturity date will be equal
to the closing price of the Company’s common stock at the maturity date minus the closing price of the Company’s common
stock at the grant date.
On
December 9, 2009, the Board of Directors authorized an amendment to the Plan to pay an amount equal to the value of any cash or stock
dividend declared by the Company on its common stock to be accrued to the phantom stock units outstanding as of the record date of the
common stock dividend. The dividend equivalent will be paid at the same time the underlying phantom stock units are paid to the participant.
In
certain circumstances, the Units may be immediately vested upon the participant’s death or disability. All Units granted to a participant
are forfeited if the participant is terminated from their relationship with the Company or its subsidiary for “cause,” which
is defined under the Plan. If a participant’s employment or relationship with the Company is terminated for reasons other than
for “cause,” then any vested Units will be paid to the participant upon termination. However, Units granted to certain “specified
employees” as defined in Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code will be paid approximately 181 days after termination.
Grants
of Phantom Stock Units. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had 13,252 unvested units outstanding, all of which were granted
at Full Value . On February 18, 2021, the Company granted an additional 2,412 Full Value Units with a fair value of $ 146.06
per unit on grant date, using historical volatility. In February 2021, the Company paid $ 1,214,000 for the 7,750 fully vested and matured
units that were granted during 2017, including their respective earned dividend values. In August 2021, the Company paid $ 195,000 for
the 1,250 fully vested and matured units that were granted during August 2017, including their respective earned dividend values. On
August 25, 2021, the Company granted an additional 808 Full Value Units with a fair value of $ 144.81 per unit on grant date, using
historical volatility. On August 27, 2021, 1,212 unvested Full Value Units were forfeited. As of December 31, 2021, the Company
had 8,358 unvested units outstanding.
The
Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model as its method for determining fair value of the Units. The Company uses the straight-line
method of attributing the value of the stock based compensation expense relating to the Units. The compensation expense (including adjustment
of the liability to its fair value) from the Units is recognized over the vesting period of each grant or award.
The
FASB ASC Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation , requires forfeitures either to be estimated at the time of grant and revised,
if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates to derive an estimate of awards ultimately to vest
or to recognize the effect of any forfeited awards for which the requisite vesting period is not completed in the period that the award
is forfeited.
The
Company recognizes the reversal of any previously recognized compensation expense on forfeited awards in the period that the award is
forfeited. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the reversal of $ 56,000 of previously recognized compensation expense was recognized
on 1,212 nonvested forfeited Units.
The
total Phantom Stock related liability as of December 31, 2021 was $ 2,427,000 of which $ 1,156,000 is included in Other Liabilities, as
it is expected to be paid in February and August 2022, and the balance of $ 1,271,000 is included in Other Long Term Liabilities. The
total Phantom Stock related liability as of December 31, 2020 was $ 3,331,000 of which $ 1,378,000 is included in Other Liabilities, and
the balance of $ 1,953,000 is included in Other Long Term Liabilities.
- 50 -
Related
to the Phantom Stock Plan, in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation , the Company recorded compensation
expense of approximately $ 506,000 , $ 1,453,000 , and $ 2,255,000 related to the Phantom Stock Plan for the years ended December 31, 2021,
2020 and 2019, respectively. Compensation expense for a given period largely depends upon fluctuations in the Company’s stock price.
The
following table summarizes information about the Company’s nonvested phantom stock Units as of December 31, 2021:
SUMMARY OF NONVESTED PHANTOM STOCK UNITS
Units
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Number of Phantom Stock Unit Awards:
Nonvested as of December 31, 2020
13,252
$ 72.61
Granted
3,220
$ 145.75
Vested
( 6,902 )
$ 68.34
Forfeited
( 1,212 )
$ 95.92
Nonvested as of December 31, 2021
8,358
$ 100.93
Phantom Stock Unit Awards Expected to Vest
8,358
$ 100.93
The
total unrecognized compensation costs calculated on December 31, 2021 are $ 669,000 which will be recognized through August 2024 . The
Company will recognize the related expense over the weighted average period of 1.0 years.
12.
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
From
time to time the Company may have related party transactions (“RPTs”). In short, RPTs represent any transaction between the
Company and any Company employee, director or officer, or any related entity, or relative, etc. The Company performs a review of transactions
each year to determine if any RPTs exist, and if so, determines if the related parties act independently of each other in a fair transaction.
Through this investigation the Company noted a limited number of RPTs which are disclosed hereto. First, legal and accounting fees of
$ 117,000 were paid on behalf of three affiliated shareholders during the first two quarters of 2021 for the filing of a registration
statement with the SEC (Form S-3) which allowed for the resale of up to 300,000 shares of common stock owned by the affiliated shareholders.
The legal and accounting fees are to be repaid to the Company by the three affiliated shareholders, and that amount is reported in Other
Current Assets. Legal services for the Form S-3 and for other legal services were performed by a firm which formerly employed one member
of the board. Second, on occasion the Company shares a small amount of services with its former parent Mestek, Inc., mostly related to
board meeting expenses. Finally, the Company is aware of transactions between a few service providers which employ individuals with associations
to Omega Flex employees. In all cases, these transactions have been determined to be independent transactions with no indication that
they are influenced by the related relationships. Other than as disclosed above, the Company is currently not aware of any RPTs between
the Company and any of its current directors or officers outside the scope of their normal business functions or expected contractual
duties.
13.
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The
Company evaluated all events or transactions that occurred through the date of this filing. During this period, no events came to the
Company’s attention that would impact the Consolidated Financial Statements for 2021.
- 51 -
Item
9 – CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES
None
Item
9A – CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
(a) Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and Procedures.
We
evaluated, under the supervision and with the participation of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness
of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”), as amended, as of December 31, 2021, the end of the period covered by this report
on Form 10-K. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Chief Financial Officer (principal
financial officer) have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2021. Disclosure controls
and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the
Exchange Act (i) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms
and (ii) is accumulated and communicated to management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate,
to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.
(b) Management’s
Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.
Our
management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over
financial reporting is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act and is a process designed by, or under
the supervision of, our principal executive and principal financial officers and effected by our board of directors, management and other
personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements
for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and includes those policies and procedures that:
●
Pertain
to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets;
●
Provide
reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with
authorizations of our management and directors; and
●
Provide
reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s
assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation
of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that
the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Our
management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021. In making
this assessment, the Company’s management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) in Internal
Control-Integrated Framework (2013) .
Based
on the assessment, management has concluded that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December
31, 2021 based on criteria in the Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.
- 52 -
The
Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, RSM US LLP, audited the effectiveness of the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021. RSM US LLP’s report on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, is included herein on page 32.
(d)
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting.
There
were no changes on our internal control over financial reporting during the most recent quarter ended December 31, 2021, that have materially
affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item
9B – OTHER INFORMATION
None.
PART
III
With
respect to Items 10 through 14, the Company will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, within 120 days after December
31, 2021, a definitive proxy statement relating to the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders (the “2022 Proxy Statement”).
Item
10 – DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Information
regarding directors of the Company will be set forth in the 2022 Proxy Statement, under the caption “Current Directors and Nominees
for Election – Background Information”, and to the extent required and except as set forth therein, is incorporated herein
by reference.
Information
regarding executive officers of the Company will be set forth under the caption “Executive Officers” in the 2022 Proxy Statement,
and to the extent required and except as set forth therein, incorporated herein by reference.
Information
regarding the Company’s Audit Committee and its “Audit Committee Financial Expert” will be set forth in the 2022 Proxy
Statement, under the caption “Board Committees”, and incorporated herein by reference. Information concerning any delinquent
filings under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 will be set forth in the Company’s proxy statement also, under
the Caption “Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports” incorporated herein by reference.
The
Company has adopted a Code of Business Ethics (“Code”) applicable to its principal executive officer and principal financial
officer, its directors and all other employees generally. A copy of the Code may be found at the Company’s website www.omegaflex.com.
Any changes to or waivers from this Code will be disclosed on the Company’s website as well as in appropriate filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Item
11 - EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Information
required by Item 11 will be set forth in the 2022 Proxy Statement, under the caption “Executive Compensation” and to the
extent required and except as set forth therein, is incorporated herein by reference.
The
report of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be deemed incorporated by reference by any general
statement incorporating by reference the proxy statement into any filing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and shall not otherwise
be deemed filed under such Act.
- 53 -
Item
12 - SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
Information
required by Item 12 will be set forth in the 2022 Proxy Statement, under the caption “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial
Owners and Management”, and to the extent required and except as set forth therein, is incorporated herein by reference.
Item
13 - CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
Information
required by Item 13 will be set forth in the 2022 Proxy Statement, under the caption “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions”
and to the extent required and except as set forth therein, is incorporated herein by reference.
Item
14 – PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
Information
required by Item 14 will be set forth in the 2022 Proxy Statement, under the caption “Principal Accounting Fees and Services”,
and to the extent required, and except as set forth therein, is incorporated herein by reference.
PART
IV
Item
15 – EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SCHEDULES
(a)
The
following documents are filed as part of this Form 10-K:
1.
Exhibits.
See Index to Exhibits on pages 56 through 59.
2.
Consolidated
Financial Statements. See Index to Consolidated Financial Statements on page 29.
EXHIBIT
INDEX
Those
documents followed by a parenthetical notation are incorporated herein by reference to previous filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, under Commission File No. 000-51372, as set forth below.
Exhibit
No.
Description
Reference
Key
3.1
Articles of Incorporation of Omega Flex, Inc., as amended
(A)
3.2
Amended and Restated By-laws of Omega Flex, Inc.
(A)
4.1
Description of Common Stock
(B)
10.1
Indemnity and Insurance Matters Agreement dated July 29, 2005 between Omega Flex, Inc. and Mestek, Inc.
(A)
10.2
*
Form of Indemnification Agreements entered into between Omega Flex, Inc. and its Directors and Officers and the Directors of its wholly-owned subsidiaries.
(C)
10.3
*
Schedule of Directors/Officers with Indemnification Agreement
**
- 54 -
10.4
*
Employment Agreement dated December 15, 2008 between Omega Flex, Inc. and Kevin R. Hoben
(D)
10.5
*
Amendment No. 1 to the Employment Agreement dated January 1, 2014 between Omega Flex, Inc. and Kevin R. Hoben
(E)
10.6
*
Employment Agreement dated December 15, 2008 between Omega Flex, Inc. and Mark F. Albino
(D)
10.7
*
Amendment No. 1 to the Employment Agreement dated January 1, 2014 between Omega Flex, Inc. and Mark F. Albino
(E)
10.8
Amended and Restated Committed Revolving Line of Credit Note dated December 1, 2017 by Omega Flex, Inc. to Santander Bank, N.A. in the principal amount of $15,000,000.
(F)
10.9
Loan and Security Agreement dated December 17, 2009 between Omega Flex, Inc. and Sovereign Bank, N.A.
(G)
10.10
First Amendment dated December 30, 2010 to the Loan and Security Agreement between Omega Flex, Inc. and Sovereign Bank, N.A.
(H)
10.11
Second Amendment dated December 29, 2014 to the Loan and Security Agreement between Omega Flex, Inc. and Santander Bank, N.A., (as successor in interest to Sovereign Bank, N.A.)
(I)
10.12
Third Amendment dated December 1, 2017 to the Loan and Security Agreement between Omega Flex, Inc. and Santander Bank, N.A., (as successor in interest to Sovereign Bank, N.A.)
(F)
10.13
*
Phantom Stock Plan dated December 11, 2006.
(J)
10.14
*
First Amendment to the Omega Flex, Inc. 2006 Phantom Stock Plan
(G)
10.15
*
Form of Phantom Stock Agreement entered into between Omega Flex, Inc. and its directors, officers and employees.
(J)
10.16
*
Schedule
of Phantom Stock Agreements between Omega Flex, Inc. and its directors and officers as of December 31, 2021.
**
10.17
*
Form of Non-Employee Director Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement entered into between Omega Flex, Inc. and certain non-employee directors.
(K)
10.18
*
Form
of Change of Control Agreement entered into between Omega Flex, Inc. and certain officers and employees.
(B)
10.19
*
Schedule
of Change of Control Agreements between Omega Flex, Inc. and certain officers and employees as of December 31, 2021.
**
- 55 -
21.1
List of Subsidiaries
**
23.1
Consent of RSM US LLP
**
31.1
Certification of Chief Executive Officer of Omega Flex, Inc. pursuant to Rule 15d-14(a) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
**
31.2
Certification of Chief Financial Officer of Omega Flex, Inc. pursuant to Rule 15d-14(a) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
**
32.1
Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Omega Flex, Inc. pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
***
101.1NS
Inline XBRL
Instance Document (the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the
Inline XBRL document)
**
101.SCH
Inline XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
**
101.CAL
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
**
101.DEF
Inline XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
**
101.LAB
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
**
101.PRE
Inline XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
**
104
Cover
Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are embedded in the Inline XBRL document and included in Exhibit 101).
Reference
Key
(A)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement on Form 10-12G filed on June 22, 2005.
(B)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 9, 2020.
(C)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed May 4, 2020.
(D)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 18, 2009.
(E)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed July 24, 2014.
(F)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed December 5, 2017.
(G)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 17, 2010.
(H)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 10, 2011.
(I)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed December 29, 2014.
(J)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed April 2, 2007.
(K)
Filed
as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed December 13, 2018.
*
Management
contract, compensatory plan, or arrangement
**
Filed
herewith
***
Furnished
herewith
Item
16 – Form 10-K Summary
None.
- 56 -
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has caused this report be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
OMEGA FLEX, INC.
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
Kevin R. Hoben
Kevin
R. Hoben, Chairman and
Chief
Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
Matthew F. Unger
Matthew
F. Unger, Vice President Finance,
Chief
Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
Luke S. Hawk
Luke
S. Hawk
Financial
Controller
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
Mark F. Albino
Mark
F. Albino, Director
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
James M. Dubin
James
M. Dubin, Director
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
David K. Evans
David
K. Evans, Director
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
J. Nicholas Filler
J.
Nicholas Filler, Director
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
Derek W. Glanvill
Derek
W. Glanvill, Director
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
Kevin R. Hoben
Kevin
R. Hoben, Director
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
Bruce C. Klink
Bruce
C. Klink, Director
Date:
March 14, 2022
By:
/S/
Stewart B. Reed
Stewart
B. Reed, Director
- 57 -
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