Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI) (NASDAQ: UEIC) reported financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024.

“Our customer growth strategy, product development and footprint optimization initiatives are beginning to deliver, as projected,” stated UEI Chairman and CEO Paul Arling. “Third quarter 2024 net sales were solidly within guidance; gross profit increased 380 basis points year-over-year; and our bottom line improved again. We are building in all of our markets one brick at a time. Recent design wins and new production launches include Carrier, Daikin, multiple smart home solution leaders as well as multiple telecom and video service providers. Our recent efforts have strengthened our foundation and paved a path for financial improvement, placing UEI in its best position in several years. We expect to deliver year-over-year top- and bottom-line growth in both the fourth quarter 2024 and full year 2025.”

Financial Results for the Three Months Ended September 30: 2024 Compared to 2023

• GAAP net sales were $102.1 million, compared to $107.1 million; Adjusted Non-GAAP net sales were $102.1 million, compared to $107.1 million.
• GAAP gross margins were 30.1%, compared to 19.1%; Adjusted Non-GAAP gross margins were 30.1%, compared to 26.3%.
• GAAP operating income was $0.4 million, compared to GAAP operating loss of $14.0 million; Adjusted Non-GAAP operating income was $2.6 million, compared to $0.6 million.
• GAAP net loss was $2.7 million, or $0.20 per share, compared to $19.4 million, or $1.50 per share; Adjusted Non-GAAP net income was $1.4 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, compared to Adjusted Non-GAAP net loss of $0.7 million, or $0.05 per share.
• GAAP gross margin, operating income and net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2024 include $1.1 million, equivalent to 110 basis points of gross margin or $0.07 per share (net of tax), of excess manufacturing overhead costs resulting from the continued transition of our global manufacturing footprint, specifically in Mexico and Vietnam, and depreciation related to the mark-up from cost to fair value of fixed assets acquired in business combinations ("excess manufacturing costs"). GAAP gross margin, operating loss and net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2023 include $2.2 million, equivalent to 210 basis points of gross margin or $0.13 per share (net of tax), of excess manufacturing costs.
• At September 30, 2024, cash and cash equivalents were $26.3 million.

Financial Results for the Nine Months Ended September 30: 2024 Compared to 2023

• GAAP net sales were $284.4 million, compared to $322.9 million; Adjusted Non-GAAP net sales were $284.4 million, compared to $322.9 million.
• GAAP gross margins were 29.1%, compared to 21.6%; Adjusted Non-GAAP gross margins were 29.1%, compared to 24.0%.
• GAAP operating loss was $10.9 million, compared to $82.7 million, including a $49.1 million non-cash charge for goodwill impairment; Adjusted Non-GAAP operating loss was $2.0 million, compared to $10.4 million.
• GAAP net loss was $19.5 million, or $1.51 per share, compared to $91.1 million including the aforementioned non-cash charge, or $7.10 per share; Adjusted Non-GAAP net loss was $3.2 million, or $0.25 per share, compared to $9.5 million, or $0.74 per share.
• GAAP gross margin, operating loss and net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 include $3.7 million, equivalent to 130 basis points of gross margin or $0.23 per share (net of tax), of excess manufacturing costs. GAAP gross margin, operating loss and net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 include $7.8 million, equivalent to 240 basis points of gross margin or $0.49 per share (net of tax), of excess manufacturing costs.

Financial Outlook

For the fourth quarter of 2024, the company expects GAAP net sales to range from $99.0 million to $109.0 million, compared to $97.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. GAAP loss per share for the fourth quarter of 2024 is expected to range from $0.27 to $0.17, compared to GAAP loss per share of $0.55 in the fourth quarter of 2023.

For the fourth quarter of 2024, the company expects Adjusted Non-GAAP net sales to range from $99.0 million to $109.0 million, compared to $97.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Adjusted Non-GAAP earnings per diluted share are expected to range from $0.10 to $0.20 per share, compared to Adjusted Non-GAAP loss per share of $0.04 in the fourth quarter of 2023. The fourth quarter 2024 Adjusted Non-GAAP earnings per diluted share estimate exclude $0.37 per share related to, among other things, stock-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangibles, litigation costs, factory restructuring costs, foreign currency gains and losses and the related tax impact of these adjustments. For a more detailed explanation of Non-GAAP measures, please see the Use of Non-GAAP Financial Metrics discussion and the Reconciliation of Adjusted Non-GAAP Financial Results, each located elsewhere in this press release.

Conference Call Information

UEI’s management team will hold a conference call today, Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT, to discuss its third quarter 2024 earnings results, review recent activity and answer questions. To attend the call please register at https://register.vevent.com/register/BIa5ad6a7bfd934a5798098c189609cbaa to receive a computer-generated dial-in number and a unique pin number. The conference call will also be broadcast live on the investor section of the UEI website where it will be available for replay for 90 days.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Metrics and Additional Financial Information

In addition to reporting financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, UEI provides Adjusted Non-GAAP information as additional information for its operating results. References to Adjusted Non-GAAP information are to non-GAAP financial measures. These measures are not required by, in accordance with, or an alternative for, GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. UEI’s management uses these measures for reviewing the financial results of UEI for budget planning purposes and for making operational and financial decisions. Management believes that providing these non-GAAP financial measures to investors, as a supplement to GAAP financial measures, help investors evaluate UEI’s core operating and financial performance and business trends consistent with how management evaluates such performance and trends. Additionally, management believes these measures facilitate comparisons with the core operating and financial results and business trends of competitors and other companies.

Adjusted Non-GAAP net sales are defined as net sales. Adjusted Non-GAAP gross profit is defined as gross profit excluding impairment of long-lived assets and stock-based compensation expense. Adjusted Non-GAAP operating expenses are defined as operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation expense, amortization of intangibles acquired, costs associated with certain litigation efforts, factory restructuring costs, goodwill impairment, impairment of long-lived assets and severance. Adjusted Non-GAAP net income (loss) is defined as net income (loss) excluding the aforementioned items, foreign currency gains and losses, the related tax effects of all adjustments, as well as a valuation allowance on certain deferred tax assets. Adjusted Non-GAAP earnings (loss) per diluted share is calculated using Adjusted Non-GAAP net income (loss). A reconciliation of these financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures is included at the end of this press release.

The company will no longer exclude excess manufacturing overhead costs resulting from the continued transition of its global manufacturing footprint, specifically in Mexico and Vietnam, and depreciation related to the mark-up from cost to fair value of fixed assets acquired in business combinations from its Adjusted Non-GAAP figures. This impacts Adjusted Non-GAAP gross profit, gross margin, operating income (loss), income (loss) before provision (benefit) from income taxes and net income (loss) in the quarterly results for 2023 and 2024. There is no impact to GAAP results. A reconciliation of these measures is posted on the website in the Q3 2024 Quarterly Results section.

About Universal Electronics

Universal Electronics Inc. (NASDAQ: UEIC) is the global leader in wireless universal control solutions for home entertainment and smart home devices and designs, develops, manufactures, ships and supports hardware and software control and sensor technology solutions. UEI partners with many Fortune 500 customers, including Comcast, Vivint Smart Home, Samsung, LG, Sony and Daikin to serve video, telecommunications, security service providers, television, smart home and HVAC system manufacturers. For over 37 years, UEI has been pioneering breakthrough innovations such as voice control and QuickSet cloud, the world's leading platform for automated set-up and control of devices in the home. For more information, visit www.uei.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release and accompanying schedules contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, including net sales, profit margin and earnings trends, estimates and assumptions; our expectations about new product introductions; and similar statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those we identify below and other risk factors that we identify in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the periodic reports filed and furnished since then.

Risks that could affect forward-looking statements in this press release include: our continued ability to timely develop and deliver innovative control solutions and technologies that are accepted by our customers, both near- and long-term; our ability to attract new customers and to successfully capture sales in all markets we serve, including in the climate control and connected home markets as anticipated by management; our ability to continue optimizing our manufacturing footprint and realize the lower concentration risks in the time frame and to the extent expected by management; our ability to maintain our market share in the traditional subscription broadcast market as expected by management; our ability to manage through the worldwide inflationary pressures and macroeconomic conditions; our ability to continue to manage our business, inventories and cash flows to achieve our net sales, margins and earnings through financial discipline, operational efficiency, product line management, liquidity requirements, capital expenditures and other investment spending expectations; our continued ability to successfully enforce our patented technology, including with respect to our litigation against Roku; our continued ability to strategically enhance, expand, and monetize our IP portfolios; the continued fluctuation in our market capitalization; the direct and indirect impact we may experience with respect to our business and financial results and management’s ability to anticipate and mitigate the impact stemming from the continued economic uncertainty affecting consumers’ confidence and spending, natural disasters or other events beyond our control, public health crises (including an outbreak of infectious disease), governmental actions, including the effects of political unrest, war, terrorist activities, or other hostilities; the effects and uncertainties and other factors more fully described in our reports filed with the SEC; and the effects that changes in or enhanced use of laws, regulations and policies may have on our business including the impact of decreased governmental incentive programs worldwide or of enhanced or expanded trade regulations, including expanded use of tariffs, pertaining to importation of our products, particularly in light of the recent U.S. Presidential election. Since it is not possible to predict or identify all of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect future results, the above list should not be considered a complete list. Further, any of these factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply in this press release. We make these forward-looking statements as of November 7, 2024, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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